Root Canal Treatment – Chaska, MN

Why Would I Need Root Canal Treatment?

To know why your tooth hurts, you first need to understand how each tooth is constructed. Covering the outside of a tooth is enamel, which is the hardest material in the human body. Despite its strength, enamel can be penetrated by some of nature’s smallest living organisms—bacteria.

Underneath the enamel layer is dentin, a somewhat softer and much more sensitive component of a tooth. At the core, each tooth contains pulp, commonly called the nerve, with canals leading to the root. These canals play a crucial role in dental function – they transport nutrients to the root and carry away toxins.

When damaged by a tooth fracture, deep cavity, or other trauma, the canals and pulp can become vulnerable to infection. The same bacteria that penetrate the enamel to cause a cavity can eventually migrate to the nerve where a serious infection may develop. Left untreated, this infection may cause the pulp (nerve tissue) to die. This causes pain, pressure, and ultimately, bone, gum, and tooth loss.

Other than a toothache, recognizable signs that can indicate you have an infected tooth include:

• Spontaneous aching
• Swollen gum tissue around a tooth
• A pimple-like sore on your gums near a painful tooth
• A tooth that is sensitive to hot and cold temperatures
• Severe pain when you chew or bite down

What Are My Options to Reduce Tooth Pain?

Root canal therapy has developed a reputation as something to fear or dread. However, thanks to state-of-the-art dental technology and our expert approach to emergency dentistry, we can keep you comfortable and calm throughout a root canal performed at Chaska Dental Center. To help reduce pain, we will always numb the treatment site with local anesthesia first. Additional sedation options include nitrous oxide (AKA “laughing gas”) to ease your mind and remove you from worry regarding the sights, smells, and sounds of what is going on around you. Nitrous oxide takes effect almost immediately and wears off soon after the procedure is over, and the nasal mask is removed. Combine anesthesia and sedation with our team’s gentle and friendly approach, and you will see how comfortable and painless getting a root canal can really be!

Root Canal Treatment Step-By-Step

With root canal therapy, Dr. Swingdorf can alleviate this kind of pain. In addition, root canal therapy can eliminate the infection in the early stage to preserve your tooth, prevent the need for implants or bridges, and help you avoid bone loss and the need for bone grafting.

Once you are comfortably settled in the dentist’s chair, the tooth and surrounding tissue will be anesthetized with a local anesthetic. Then, a small opening is made into the infected tooth so that your dentist can clean out the pulp chamber and attached canals. After this step is completed, the hollow space is disinfected, and a biocompatible sealer is placed. The tooth is then sealed and prepared for a crown. Dr. Swingdorf may prescribe an oral antibiotic to ensure that the infection is completed eradicated. After your appointment, you’ll be able to drive and resume your normal routine.

After a couple of weeks, you’ll return to Chaska Dental Center to have a permanent crown placed over your tooth. This will result in a beautifully restored tooth and renewed comfort and function.

Understanding the Cost of Root Canals

Anytime you are preparing to undergo a dental procedure, one of the primary concerns is cost. Knowing the price of your root canal can help you determine how best to budget for this type of treatment. Fortunately, our team at Chaska Dental Center is here to make this part of the process as stress-free as possible. Apart from discussing the treatment plan, we’ll also go over your dental insurance and other strategic ways you can save when pursuing a healthier smile.

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Factors That Can Affect Root Canal Cost

There are a few specific factors that our team must consider when building a plan for your care. To provide you with the most accurate cost estimate, we’ll need to:

• Determine where the tooth is located, as this will play a role in the overall cost. Typically, molars are more expensive to treat than other teeth because of their location toward the back of the mouth.
• Decide how severe your infection or damage is, as this will allow us to determine how best to approach care. If necessary, an outside specialist may need to be brought in, which can affect the overall cost of care.
• Determine if you need any post-operative treatment, like receiving a customized dental crown, which most patients do. This will incur an additional cost because of the necessity to safeguard your treated tooth.

Is It Cheaper to Pull My Tooth?

You might wonder if it’s just easier and less expensive to extract the tooth instead of treating it, but this is not necessarily the case.

The reality is that once a tooth is removed for any reason other than it being a wisdom tooth, it must be replaced. If the socket is left vacant for a prolonged period, it can result in bone and additional tooth loss over time. By removing the tooth, you’ll need to discuss options for replacement, which can include a dental bridge, partial denture, or dental implant. Each method requires more time and money to be spent.

Also, with dentures, you’ll be required to undergo adjustments and replacements every few years, and the same can be said for dental bridges. All in all, you’ll spend more on tooth extraction and replacement than you will on a root canal.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Root Canals?

Although not all dental insurance companies offer the same benefits, there is a good chance that your plan provides coverage for root canals. In general, this type of dental service is viewed as a restorative procedure – one that insurance companies will partially cover. Depending on whether they view it as a minor or major form of treatment, they might agree to pay anywhere from 50-80% of the total cost. This can be a welcome reality if you are concerned about being able to afford your root canal.

Other Options for Making Root Canal Therapy Affordable

Even if private dental insurance is not something you can afford, there are other ways you can pay for treatment without breaking the bank. At Chaska Dental Center, we offer a 5% savings as well as additional financing options to help individuals like yourself save when needing essential oral healthcare. You can always ask a member of our team for further details.