Root Canal Therapy
A root canal is a restorative dental procedure that relieves pain and gives an infected or abscessed tooth a second chance. Modern root canals are comfortable and efficient and really no different from any other dental procedure.
Root Canal Therapy
Deep inside your tooth, underneath enamel and dentin, is an area called the pulp chamber. This part of the tooth contains tissue and nerves that keep the tooth healthy, but pulp can become infected if bacteria enter the area through a fracture, deep decay, or trauma.
The most obvious sign of an infected tooth is a severe toothache, and the only solution to relieve the pain is to remove the infected pulp with root canal treatment.
What Happens During Root Canal Treatment?
Your comfort is our priority, so the first step is to administer a local anesthetic to numb the tooth to ensure that you feel no pain during the procedure. Once the anesthetic takes hold, and we are sure the tooth is numb, our dentist creates an opening in the tooth to access the pulp area. We then carefully remove every trace of infected pulp, disinfect the area and fill the area to prevent reinfection.
We allow the tooth to heal for about two weeks, then have you return to our office so we can take an x-ray and ensure the infection is gone. The final step is to place a tooth filling or a dental crown on the tooth to strengthen and protect it so you can chew comfortably again.
Our Team
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Dr. Anthony Bianco DMD
Dr. Bianco was born in Chicago and grew up in Glen Ellyn. After graduating from Glenbard West High School in 2000, he received his bachelor’s degree in Italian from Washington University in St. Louis in 2004.
His ensuing path to dentistry was not a traditional one. After a stint in graduate school at the University of Chicago, he enjoyed a 10-year career in management with Trader Joe’s Company.
After a decade of serving numerous Chicagoland communities and completing extensive leadership training, his innate desire to continually push the boundaries and explore new ...
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Do I Need a Root Canal?
If you have been experiencing any of these signs or symptoms, call our office immediately. You may have a tooth infection that requires immediate treatment.
- Severe pain in one or more teeth
- Pain when touching the tooth
- Pain and sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures
- Darkening of one or more teeth
- A raised bump on the gums
- A bad taste in your mouth
- Swelling and tenderness in the gums that may radiate to the cheek
Call our office to make an appointment to see if you need root canal therapy, so we can get you out of pain and save the tooth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Learning that you need a root canal doesn’t seem like good news to most people. But catching a problem inside your tooth means it will get the treatment it needs, ending your pain and preserving the tooth. An endodontist specialist performs root canals to save infected, damaged, or diseased teeth.
Your teeth have several layers - the outer enamel, the hard dentin underneath, and the inner pulp, which contains nerves, connective tissue, and blood vessels. If damage, infection, or inflammation penetrates the inner pulp, the tooth is at risk.
An endodontist specialist may perform a root canal in these situations:
- Deep tooth decay
- Fractures, large chips, or cracks
- Disease or infection in the inner pulp
Signs that you might need a root canal include tooth pain when biting down, sensitivity to hot and cold, tooth darkening, tenderness or swelling in the gums, or a pimple-like bump on your gums.
In the root canal procedure, the endodontist removes the infected tooth pulp and seals the area. A dental crown protects the tooth and completes the restoration.
If you’re concerned about a tooth, call your dentist or endodontist specialist right away for a dental exam. Root canals are highly successful, common procedures that can put an end to your pain or sensitivity and restore your tooth.
Root Canal Therapy Technology
Rotary Endodontics
Rotary endodontics uses flexible precision instruments to improve root canal treatment outcomes and the patient experience. By using this advanced technology, the need for root canal retreatment is reduced, and the entire process takes less time.