Dr. Ilya Zak is a dentist and has answered some of the common questions bizymoms visitors have about root canal treatment.
Q. What is root canal treatment?
A. Often, the nerves in the tooth get infected from decay that enters the nerve canal. The root canal procedure involves removing the infected tissue from the canal (located in the roots of the tooth) and filling it with a sealer material to protect the tooth from further infection.
Q. What does treatment involve?
A. The dentist goes inside the canal of the tooth, removes the infected tissue and seals the canal with a sealant to ensure against further infection.
Q. What are the signs of needing endodontic treatment?
A. The most prevalent problem is pain of the tooth, sensitivity to hot and cold, pain that lingers, pain that gets worse at night, and pain upon chewing.
Q. Are pain pills and antibiotics an acceptable substitute for root canal?
A. The pain killers and antibiotics may temporarily mask the problem. However, unless the source of the problem (i.e. the infected tissue inside the root canal) gets removed, more tissue will get infected, and ultimately cause tooth loss. Furthermore, an untreated infection can spread to other teeth and even infect the sinuses.
Q. Are there alternative treatments for root canal?
A. Yes, extraction, but I would only recommend this when the tooth cannot be saved.
Q. How much will the procedure cost?
A. Root canal therapy (RCT) varies in complexity and price. Generally, RCT on anterior teeth are less costly than on posterior teeth. Furthermore, nascent infections are less complex than advanced infections and are less costly. It is also important to remember that following a Root Canal, in most instances Crowns are also necessary.
Q. Will the tooth need any special care or additional treatment?
A. Yes, more often than not, the tooth will require a crown following Root Canal Therapy.
Q. How to contact Dr. Zak if we have further questions?
A.
Address:
5168 Hollister Ave.
Santa Barbara, CA 93111
Phone: 877-800-2801
Email: izak733@gmail.com
Website: http://zakdental.com/
