Common causes for injury to the pulp are decay, trauma, and repeated dental procedures on the tooth. Also, clenching, grinding and chewing hard objects may cause cracks in the tooth, allowing bacteria to enter the tooth pulp, which causes infection.

If the tooth is not treated, the cause of the problem will not be eliminated and severe pain and infection will result or continue. Extracting the tooth is an alternative treatment. However, this option can be costly since the empty space will need to be replaced with a bridge, partial denture, or implant. If left, the teeth will shift out of alignment.

Dr. Osmond will try to complete the treatment in one appointment. Generally, appointments last between 1 ½ to 2 hours. This depends on the difficulty of the case. There are some circumstances that may require more than one visit.

Local anesthesia is used during treatment. Dr. Osmond will be sensitive and make every effort to make the procedure as painless as possible. After treatment, there may be tenderness to biting or general sensitivity that can be treated with an over the counter pain reliever or a prescription medication.

Since root canal therapy is done under local anesthetic, you should be able to return to work after your appointment.

With a proper restoration and regular dental care, it can last a lifetime; However, there are no guarantees, the success of root canal therapy is over 90%.