Root canal treatment
Root Canal Treatment in Greenwich, CT
Root canal treatment has a tougher reputation than it deserves. Done well, the appointment is usually the moment your pain finally stops.
What it involves
When the nerve inside a tooth becomes infected or dies, there are really two paths forward: treat the inside of the tooth, or remove it. Root canal treatment cleans and seals the canals so the tooth can stay in place and support a crown.
We provide this care in-house rather than sending you elsewhere, with enough anesthetic that the visit is calm and comfortable. Most patients tell us the hardest part was the week before they called to make the appointment.
Visits
Usually one or two, followed by a crown to protect the tooth
Comfort
Fully anesthetized; the appointment typically ends the pain
Alternative
Extraction, and then a bridge to fill the gap
Patient rating
5.0 from 121 reviews
Who this is for
When we recommend it
- A tooth aches with hot or cold that lingers well after the food or drink is gone.
- A tooth throbs on its own, especially at night, without anything touching it.
- A tooth has darkened after an old injury.
- A dentist elsewhere has told you the nerve is involved and suggested extraction as the only option.
- Pain that flared has suddenly stopped, which is not always the good sign it seems.
Step by step
How the treatment runs
- 01
Diagnosis
An X-ray and a cold or bite test confirm which tooth and canal are affected before anything is opened.
- 02
Anesthetic and access
We fully numb the tooth, then open it to reach the infected or inflamed tissue inside.
- 03
Cleaning and shaping
The canals are cleaned out, shaped, and disinfected, which is what actually removes the source of the pain.
- 04
Sealing
We fill and seal the canals, usually in the same or a second visit depending on how the infection has behaved.
- 05
Crown
A crown is placed afterward on most back teeth, since a root-treated tooth is more brittle under chewing load.
Afterwards
What to expect once you leave
Same day
Numbness wears off within a few hours. The tooth may feel tender to bite on for a day or so afterward.
First week
Mild soreness responds to ordinary painkillers, and we protect the tooth with a temporary filling until the crown is ready.
Long term
With a well-fitted crown, a root-treated tooth functions like any other and is checked at routine exams for signs of reinfection.
Root canal fees depend on the tooth. A molar with multiple canals is a longer, more involved procedure than a single-rooted front tooth, so the estimate follows the diagnostic X-ray rather than preceding it.
That estimate is written and given to you before treatment begins, and it is separate from the crown that usually follows, so you can see both figures rather than one combined guess.
We file the insurance claim for you regardless of network status, and accept cards and HSA or FSA funds.
Other ways to go
What we would also put in front of you
Extraction
The quicker, less expensive appointment on its own, but the gap then usually needs a bridge, which often costs more overall.
Read moreWhy patients choose us for this
Done here, not referred out
Root canal treatment is carried out in this office rather than sent to a separate specialist, so the crown that follows is planned by the same dentist.
Comfort prioritized
We numb the appointment thoroughly enough that most patients report the pain ended in the chair, not the week before.
Crown planned from the start
Because Dr. Yeterian designs the follow-up crown himself, the two stages are treated as one plan rather than two separate referrals.
Q & A
Questions we are asked about root canal treatment
Keeping the tooth almost always is. An extraction may be the smaller appointment, but replacing the tooth afterward with a bridge typically costs considerably more than treating it in the first place.
Back teeth almost always do, since the tooth becomes more brittle afterward and carries much of the chewing load. Some front teeth can be sealed and restored with composite instead.
That is often a sign the nerve has died rather than that the problem has resolved, and infection can continue building quietly underneath. It is worth getting an X-ray even once the ache is gone.
The reputation is outdated. With modern anesthetic the procedure itself is usually uneventful, and most patients feel far better leaving than they did arriving, since the treatment removes the source of the pain.
Usually one to two appointments, each around an hour, depending on how many canals the tooth has and how the infection responds.
It varies by tooth and how many canals are involved, and we give you the figure in writing after the diagnostic X-ray, separate from the crown that typically follows.
Avoid chewing on that side until the numbness wears off and, if there is a temporary filling, until the permanent crown is placed.
An infected nerve does not heal on its own. The pain can quiet down as the nerve dies while the infection keeps spreading, sometimes to the bone, which turns a manageable case into a harder one.
Tell us what is bothering you and we will tell you what it takes to fix it.