There are usually two options when faced with the possibility of treatment. Pain is a major contributor of why you are seeking treatment of some kind. This is evidence that either the nerve that lives inside the tooth is infected, or the tissues that surround the tooth are infected or inflamed. Pain is your body’s way of communicating with you; telling you something is wrong. At this point the patient has one of two alternatives, if the nerve inside the tooth is infected. You may stop the pain by removal of the nerve from inside the tooth (i.e. endodontic therapy); or complete removal of the tooth from your body (extraction of the tooth).

• What is a root canal anyway?
• Would you be more specific?
• How long does it take?
• Is the procedure painful?
• How come my regular dentist won’t do my root canal?
• Am I finished after the root canal? Do I need to have anything else done to my tooth?
• I had several crowns done in the past, how come I never had a root canal with those teeth?
• How long should I wait before having the buildup and crown done?
• Is it possible to not know that you need endodontic therapy?
• What is the difference between a regular dentist, and a specialist?
• Is it better to see a specialist, or let my general dentist treat me?
• What are some of the complications that could arise during treatment?
• Root canals don’t work on me! I’ve had several; and every time I end up getting the tooth pulled!
• My dentist said I needed to have a tooth I already had a root canal done on, treated again. Why?
• I had endodontic therapy done 10 years ago. Last week I had another tooth treated, and the procedure seemed very different. Which one is better?