Root Canal Treatment | Mount Prospect, IL

There’s nothing quite like a serious toothache. Paralyzing pain and overwhelming stress send us running for immediate help, anything to stop the excruciating pain.

When that unexpected toothache arrives, you not only want it to go away, but you need a safe and comfortable patient experience that quickly restores your smile and your overall wellbeing. This requires a highly trained and equipped dentist that can immediately fix you and send you back into the world.

At Smile Solutions Dental Center, our goal is to save your tooth while we relieve your discomfort. We use root canal therapy, a very common endodontic procedure, to treat nerves affected by decay or infection and causing you pain.

The Big Picture

Our teeth have three layers:

• Enamel – the hard, outer layer of the crown
• Dentin – the middle layer
• Pulp – the cavernous center which contains nerves and blood vessels

What is a root canal?

A root canal is a common dental procedure that can save your natural teeth, eliminating the need for a dental restoration, such as an implant or bridge. During the procedure, we remove the pulp and infected or dead tissue. Once we have disinfected the space, we clean and seal it, restoring it to its full function. Root canals are highly successful and the preferred alternative to removing an unhealthy tooth.

Root Canal Process

Dr. Yajima performs root canals to save teeth every day. This routine treatment normally requires 1-2 appointments in which we numb your tooth, access the affected area through the top of the tooth, remove the pulp, nerve tissue, and bacteria, clean the tooth, and seal it with a filling.

How painful is a root canal?

The pain linked to root canals stems from the infection of the nerves deep within the tooth, so you typically arrive at our office with pain. The actual procedure to remove the damaged pulp of your tooth is not painful. In fact, to guarantee minimal discomfort, the first step of root canal therapy is the application of a local anesthetic to numb the area and make you as comfortable as possible.

Post-Treatment Restoration

Typically, our patients return for the placement of the final restoration a week after the initial treatment. Dr. Yajima performs root canals in-house, but when necessary, she partners with referring endodontists in all aspects of treatment planning, including deciding the best steps for protecting your teeth. Complications are rare, especially under the care of our skilled dentist, who take care of understanding the particulars of your oral health. We make every effort to provide you with the highest level of endodontic care.

How much will a root canal cost?

The cost of endodontic treatment depends on various factors, such as which tooth needs treatment and the severity of the damage to the affected tooth. Root canals generally cost significantly less than pulling a tooth and replacing it.