If a root canal is what’s needed to save your tooth, the Estero Bay Dental team will surprise you with an experience that is a lot less unpleasant than you may expect. With today’s tools and techniques, your experience getting a root canal will typically be very similar to getting a tooth filled.
A toothache that will not quiet down, especially one that gets worse with hot or cold, often means the nerve inside the tooth is infected. Left alone, that infection can spread toward the jawbone and put the tooth itself at risk.
At Estero Bay Dental, Dr. Ivan Vigoa, whose training includes endodontics, performs root canal therapy designed to remove the infection and save your natural tooth whenever possible.
Each tooth has a soft inner layer called the pulp, which contains nerves and blood vessels. When decay, a crack, or a failing old filling lets bacteria reach the pulp, it can become inflamed and infected. Root canal therapy removes that infected pulp so the outer structure of the tooth can be cleaned, sealed, and returned to normal use.
Watch for the following signs that a tooth’s nerve may be infected.
If you notice any of these signs, the sooner we examine the tooth, the better the chance of saving it.
A root canal at Estero Bay Dental typically follows four steps.
Research supported by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research continues to improve the materials dentists use to fill and seal a treated tooth.
Before root canal therapy became widely available, a diseased tooth usually had to be removed. Here is how the two options compare today.
We will always walk you through both options so you can make the choice that fits your tooth and your goals.
Mild soreness for a few days is normal and can usually be managed with over the counter pain medication. Avoid chewing on the treated tooth until any temporary filling or crown is finished, and continue brushing and flossing as usual. Adult teeth do not need their pulp to function, so with regular care your restored tooth can last a lifetime.
Estero Bay Dental accepts several PPO insurance plans, and if you have no insurance, our Smile Program membership includes a 15 percent discount on root canal therapy and oral surgery. We also offer financing options including CareCredit and Cherry, plus a free second opinion if you would like another perspective before moving forward with treatment.
Here are answers to the questions we hear most often about root canal therapy.
With today’s anesthesia and techniques, most patients say the procedure feels similar to getting a filling.
Most root canals take about one to two hours, and some cases are completed over more than one visit.
Mild soreness for a few days is common and can usually be managed with over the counter pain medication.
If the tooth has extensive decay, we may recommend a crown to strengthen and protect it from breaking.
In rare cases a tooth can need retreatment if new decay or infection develops. Regular checkups help us catch this early.
The infection can spread, an abscess may form, and you could lose the tooth along with damage to the surrounding jawbone.
Saving your natural tooth with a root canal is usually preferred when possible, since it keeps your bite and jawbone unchanged.
Dr. Vigoa’s training spans endodontics along with restorative dentistry, giving him a well rounded view of how to save a diseased tooth and restore it afterward. He is fluent in English and Spanish and proudly serves patients across Estero and the surrounding community.
If a toothache has you worried about losing a tooth, our Estero, FL team is ready to help you get relief quickly. We proudly serve patients throughout Estero, Bonita Springs, and the surrounding Southwest Florida communities. We invite you to contact our office to schedule your appointment.
