Root Canal Therapy

Woman with Jaw Pain | Stanford Dental There is no dental procedure with a worse reputation than root canal therapy. This is because it is associated with pain, and if you need a root canal, it is likely that you are in pain because your tooth is injured or infected.

The root canal procedure, however, actually relieves your pain and eliminates your infection.

Why Do I Need a Root Canal?

A root canal is necessary to preserve a tooth whose pulp and nerve have become infected or injured. This can happen when a tooth is traumatized during an accident, when it’s fractured, or when decay has reached the nerve of the tooth and caused an infection.

When this happens, your tooth will become highly sensitive to temperature and biting pressure, and you may even experience pain or a toothache that is constant.

What Happens during a Root Canal?

Dr. Stanford is meticulous in his approach to root canal therapy, and his main concern is his patients’ comfort and the outcome of the procedure. We ensure that you are comfortable throughout the procedure and that you won’t feel a thing during your treatment by using the best anesthetics.

During root canal therapy, Dr. Stanford removes the infected tissue from inside the tooth and then cleans and medicates it. After root canal therapy is completed, your tooth is given time to heal.

Your tooth will need to be strengthened with a dental crown after it’s healed to ensure that it provides the same function you had before your injury or infection.

How to Avoid Root Canal Therapy

Many root canal procedures can be avoided when you are proactive about your preventative appointments and promptly complete treatment when it’s necessary. For example, if Dr. Stanford detects decay in your tooth during a routine checkup, treating it right away with a dental filling can typically restore your tooth in most cases. If you wait and leave it untreated, the decay will progress further into your tooth until it reaches the nerve and causes an infection. Older Woman Dental Patient | Stanford Dental

Visiting Stanford Dental every six months for cleanings and examinations is truly your first line of defense against issues like tooth decay that can cause infection and damage your teeth.

Contact Stanford Dental

It is important to note that if your tooth is experiencing pain due to an infection, it will not go away without treatment. Contact Stanford Dental right away to be seen as soon as possible so you can avoid further infection and damage to your tooth that could result in tooth loss.

We’re here to help, and we’ll do our best to see you the same day and get you feeling well again as soon as possible.

Meet Our Doctor:

James Stanford

Dr. Stanford has been serving St. Louis smiles since beginning his practice in 1985. He and his wife have enjoyed the benefits of raising their four daughters here in the Midwest.

Dr. Stanford graduated from Carrolton High School in Carrolton, MO, in 1977 before receiving his bachelor’s degree in biology from Westminster College in Fulton, MO. He then graduated dental school in the top 10% of his class at UMKC dental school in 1985 and moved to St. Louis to start his practice upon graduation.

Dr. Stanford is committed to offering excellent dental service by ...

How is root canal therapy performed?

Dr. James Stanford prides himself on giving his patients the most comfortable experience he can when they come into his office. This is no different whether you are coming in for a routine cleaning or scheduled for a root canal therapy appointment. Dr. Stanford typically performs his root canals in two appointments. A root canal is needed when either decay enters into the tooth's nerve and/or there is trauma to the tooth.

First Root Canal Appointment

At the first appointment, Dr. Stanford will use his special technique to numb his patients to minimize pain. This technique has been frequently raved about by his patients and on his reviews. After his patients are completely numb and comfortable, he will enter the tooth and remove the nerve of the tooth. Dr. Stanford usually explains this to patients by comparing removing the nerve like removing the lead from a pencil. This will prevent any future pain or worst case scenario, the loss of the tooth.

Typically, Dr. Stanford will wait 3-7 days to have his patient return for their follow-up visit. This will give the tooth time to calm down after the first appointment, so the patient is as comfortable as possible to finish their procedure. At the next appointment, Dr. Stanford will either fill or crown the tooth. If your tooth already has a cap on it and the crown is in good condition, then Dr. Stanford likes to preserve that crown, while saving you money, and just fill in the portion that was removed to complete the root canal.

Placing a Build-up Crown

If your tooth does not currently have a crown or if the crown is not savable, then Dr. Stanford will place a build-up and crown on the root canaled tooth. After a root canal is performed, the tooth becomes very brittle since there is no longer a blood supply or nerve. This is why it is very important to finish a tooth canal with a build-up and crown because the tooth needs extra support so it does not break. This will give your tooth the extra strength it needs to preserve your smile. Our goal is to help our patients keep as many as their natural teeth as possible throughout their lifetime.

If you are experiencing pain or have been told you need a root canal, Dr. Stanford would love the opportunity to restore you back to health!

What kind of after-care is needed following a root canal?

After you have completed a root canal procedure, it then becomes important to protect your new investment. It is also important to start restoring your teeth back to health within two to four weeks after a root canal is completed and is feeling comfortable again. Following the root canal procedure, your tooth will become less resilient to withstand the force that occurs during chewing and especially if you are prone to clenching and grinding of the teeth. That is why for the back teeth and often the front teeth, a crown will be recommended. Depending on the amount of remaining tooth structure a proper filling will be placed in order to provide a solid foundation for your beautiful new crown or cap. The filling which is often referred to as a build up or a post and build up will be determined by how much tooth structure remains after all decays is removed. If there is sufficient tooth structure to support your new crown, a buildup is needed. However, if there is not enough remaining tooth structure, a post can be placed into one of your root canal spaces to gain more support from within your tooth. Then a build up is placed around your post and the tooth is prepared and shaped for you new crown.

If your tooth has no present cavities and the crown fits your tooth well or if the root canal was performed on a front tooth that has no large previous fillings, a simple filling may be all that is needed to properly seal up your tooth and protect your new root canal from bacteria and re-contamination. Our goal at Stanford Dental is to provide you with a beautiful long lasting smile. As a final note, if you have a tendency to clench or grind your teeth, remember a properly restored root canaled tooth is still not as strong as its natural predecessor. That is why we will recommend a protective mouth guard for night time wear.