general dentistry
Root canals end toothaches. They don't cause them.
The root canal's reputation was earned decades ago and never updated. Today's version: the tooth is numbed completely, the infected nerve inside is removed, the canals are cleaned and sealed — and the toothache that brought you in ends. Patients routinely report the procedure felt like a long filling, because with modern anesthetic, that's what it is.
The alternative to a root canal is rarely 'nothing' — it's extraction. Same infection, one path keeps your tooth.
What actually happens
Inside every tooth is a nerve chamber; when decay or a crack lets bacteria in, the nerve inflames — that's the throb that wakes you at 3am — and eventually dies and infects the bone. The root canal removes that nerve, disinfects the canals, and seals them. The tooth stays; only its pain wiring goes.
One to two visits, depending on the tooth and the infection. Some anatomy is better handled by an endodontist — a root canal specialist — and when yours is, you'll hear it at the exam with the referral handled for you.
The crown that finishes the job
A back tooth after root canal is drier and more brittle — chewing forces crack unprotected molars, which is how saved teeth get lost anyway. That's why a crown is usually part of the honest plan, quoted with the root canal up front rather than surprising you at the end.
After the visit: mild soreness for a few days, managed with ibuprofen. The deep throb, though — the one that brought you here — is typically gone that night.
Questions we hear in the chair
- Does a root canal hurt?
- The procedure, no — you're verifiably numb, with the raise-your-hand rule in force. The toothache before it is the painful part; the appointment is where that ends.
- Can antibiotics fix it instead?
- They can calm the infection temporarily, but the source sits inside the tooth where antibiotics can't clear it — stop the pills and the infection resumes. Antibiotics buy time; the root canal ends it.
- Why not just pull the tooth?
- Sometimes that is the honest answer, and we'll say so. But a saved natural tooth beats every replacement for chewing, bone health, and lifetime cost — when saving is realistic, it's worth doing.
- How much does a root canal cost?
- It varies by tooth — front teeth have one canal, molars have several — and the crown is quoted alongside so you see the whole picture. Written figure before treatment, insurance checked first.
Clinical content reviewed by Dr. Marissa DeAngelis, Senior Dentist.
Serving Crozet for 50+ years. At least two full-time doctors in the building, Monday through Friday.