In Milton, ON, the Scott and Derry Dental Care team works with patients to prevent tooth decay and gum disease, the leading causes of tooth loss. Our straightforward and gentle approach to root canal services is designed to restore decayed and damaged teeth. This non-surgical procedure may be the only way to preserve the tooth. Teeth that cannot be “saved” with root canal therapy or other endodontic procedures must be extracted and replaced with conventional bridges and dentures or implant-retained crowns, bridges, and dentures. As durable and lifelike as modern tooth replacement options are, there is no better tooth in form and function than a natural tooth that remains healthy.

The consultation

During routine recall appointments, Dr. Jifri and the team may detect signs of decay. They can pinpoint the problem’s location and nature with accurate diagnostics, such as digital x-rays and intraoral cameras. We encourage you to visit us periodically before symptoms arise. By the time you are experiencing sensitivity and pain, deep decay or damage to the pulp at the center of the tooth may be present. While root canal treatment has a high rate of successfully resolving inflamed or infected pulp tissue, the procedure cannot preserve each treated tooth.

Depending on your requirements, we may recommend either a tooth-coloured filling or a lovely porcelain crown. A large filling cannot adequately support some extensive areas of decay or cavities. So, we may recommend inlays, partial crowns or onlays, or full-coverage crowns to hold the tooth structure. Crowns also follow root canal therapy to restore the visible white part of the tooth above the gum line. They are a vital part of bridges; neighbouring crowned “anchor” teeth support the replacement tooth or pontic. The pontic and crowns are then fixed to the natural tooth structure to fill or “bridge” the gap between teeth. Crowns are also the “finishing touch” for dental implants, placed in the jaw and function like tooth roots. The crown is rooted in the jaw with the implant.

The procedure

The process of root canal treatment has an unfair reputation for being painful. The truth is that the procedure is a little more extensive than a standard filling, and people rarely compare the least desirable aspects of life to a filling like they do with root canal treatment! Our patients often breathe a sigh of relief. They are finally able to work, sleep, study, and eat without pain. The procedure itself can be compared to a “deep cleaning”; it is performed on a numbed tooth. So, you won’t feel anything. As soon as the troubled tooth is opened and accessed, uncomfortable and persistent pressure is lifted.

To deeply “clean” a tooth, we access and remove diseased tissue and the nerve that is the source of pain. The channels or canals at the center of the tooth are then sterilized and shaped. The canal is sealed off to protect the treatment site and prevent reinfection with a bioinert or biocompatible filling material and a temporary crown. That temporary will make way for your permanent crown once it’s ready, the infection has been resolved, and the treatment site has healed. Call (855) 438-4999 to schedule a consultation.