Dentistry is the known evaluation, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the soft and hard tissues of the jaw (mandible), the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent.
An Interview with Dr. Matthew B. Harrison on Root Canal
Dr. Matthew B. Harrison is a dentist and has answered some of the common questions Bizymoms visitors have about Root Canal.
Q. What is root canal treatment? And what does treatment involve?
A. Root canal treatment involves removing infected and inflamed tissue from the interior of the tooth all the way down to the end of the roots. After the tissue is removed, the hollow canals are disinfected and filled to prevent reinfection. Usually a crown is needed to protect the tooth after the root canal is finished. This treatment is needed when a tooth becomes dead or irreversibly inflamed to the point where a filling or crown can't fix it. This typically happens when a tooth has a deep cavity, a crack, a lot of surgical trauma such as a crown preparation, or a combination of these.
Q. What are the signs of needing endodontic treatment?
A. Teeth that have an intense and lingering sensitivity to cold or hot stimuli, teeth that are painful to chew on, and teeth that hurt without doing anything at all can be signs that a root canal is needed.
Q. Are pain pills and antibiotics an acceptable substitute for root canal?
A. Antibiotics and pain pills can temporarily relieve symptoms in some cases, but are no substitute for root canal therapy.
Q. Are there alternative treatments for root canal?
A. The only options to treat a tooth that is bad enough to need a root canal is to either do the root canal or extract it.
Q. How much will the procedure cost?
A. Root canal treatment usually costs between $500-$1200 depending on the tooth.
Q. Will the tooth need any special care or additional treatment?
A. Most teeth that have had root canals will also need a core build-up filling and a crown to restore the tooth back to normal.
Q. How to contact Dr. Harrison if we have further questions?
