Root Canal Treatment FAQs

What is Root Canal Treatment?

Root canal treatment removes infected or inflamed pulp tissue from inside a tooth, disinfects the canal system, and seals it so bacteria cannot return. Mint Dental Loft shapes the canals with fine files, irrigates them, and fills them with a rubber-like material called gutta-percha, which saves the natural tooth rather than extracting it.

Why would I need a root canal instead of a filling?

A filling repairs damage confined to enamel and dentin. Once decay, a crack, or trauma has reached the pulp, the nerve and blood supply inside the tooth become infected and cannot heal on their own. Mint Dental Loft performs a root canal at that point because a filling placed over infected pulp seals the infection inside and leads to an abscess.

Is Root Canal Treatment painful?

No. The tooth is numbed with local anesthetic and the procedure removes the source of the pain rather than causing it. Most patients report that treatment feels comparable to having a filling placed. Mint Dental Loft may use supplementary injection techniques on an acutely abscessed tooth, since infection reduces the effect of anesthetic.

How long does Root Canal Treatment take?

A root canal generally takes 60 to 90 minutes, with molars taking longer because they have three or four canals rather than one. Mint Dental Loft completes most cases in a single visit, though a severely infected tooth may be medicated and sealed at a second appointment.

Will I need a crown after my root canal?

On back teeth, almost always. A treated tooth loses its internal blood supply and becomes brittle, and the access opening removes structure from the biting surface, so an unprotected molar is likely to fracture. Mint Dental Loft places a crown on posterior teeth and can restore a front tooth with a filling alone where little structure was lost.

How long does a tooth last after Root Canal Treatment?

A root-treated tooth restored with a crown commonly lasts for decades and frequently for life. Success rates exceed 90 percent when the tooth is sealed promptly with a permanent restoration. Mint Dental Loft notes that delaying the crown is the most common reason a successful root canal still ends in tooth loss.

What happens if I don’t get a needed root canal?

The infection spreads from the pulp through the root tip into the surrounding bone, forming an abscess. That produces swelling, bone loss, and eventually loss of the tooth, and infection spreading into the facial spaces becomes a medical emergency. Mint Dental Loft treats these urgently, because the alternative to a root canal at that stage is extraction.

How much does Root Canal Treatment cost, and will insurance cover it?

A root canal generally runs $700 to $1,500 depending on which tooth is involved, with molars costing more than front teeth, and the crown is a separate cost. Dental plans commonly cover 50 to 80 percent as a basic or major service depending on the plan. Mint Dental Loft submits a pre-treatment estimate covering both the root canal and the crown.

Can a root canal fail or need to be redone?

Yes, though it is uncommon. Failure typically results from an undetected extra canal, a crack in the root, or new decay breaking the seal and letting bacteria back in. Mint Dental Loft can retreat the tooth by removing the original filling material and re-cleaning the canals, and refers for surgical apicoectomy where retreatment is not feasible.

How do I get started with Root Canal Treatment at Mint Dental Loft?

Call Mint Dental Loft in Altadena at (626) 639-8618 or request an appointment online, and mention if you are in pain so the visit can be prioritized. The appointment includes an examination, radiographs, and pulp testing to confirm the tooth needs treatment before anything is started.