Severe dental pain may be a sign of an advanced oral infection that will not get better on its own and can lead to permanent tooth loss. Thankfully, root canal treatment from Langworthy Family Dentistry can end the horrible pain of a toothache and save a tooth from extraction. Here’s a quick look at how the root canal process works and how it can help from the friendly staff at our office in Fuquay Varina.

Dental pain can happen for a variety of reasons, and the best way to address your toothache depends on what is causing it. You may need a root canal if you notice signs of advanced dental infection or severe injury like:
If Dr. Langworthy or Harn recommends root canal treatment, you can rest assured that it is the best way to preserve your smile and your oral health.

A root canal may be the best way to save a tooth that has been compromised by severe injury or infection from extraction, and the process will always begin with Dr. Langworthy or Harn administering an appropriate anesthetic to ensure your comfort. When you are ready, our dentist will use specialized instruments to remove infected structure from your tooth, access its inner chamber, and extract the compromised pulp tissue. Once this is done, our dentist will clean and sanitize the interior of the tooth, fill it with gutta percha to preserve its structure, and seal your enamel to prevent future infections. After this, you may also receive a dental crown to restore the shape, function, and appearance of your tooth.

While root canals may have an unpleasant reputation, these treatments are painless and can end miserable dental discomfort while preventing tooth loss. The procedure can save a patient much money by negating the need for restorative devices like dentures, bridges, or implants, and the crown placed on the tooth will preserve its beauty and function. In many cases, patients who practice excellent oral hygiene find that their treated teeth can last for life.

No one looks forward to root canal treatment. However, sometimes a root canal is necessary to preserve your tooth, saving it from a future extraction. Many times, people put off their treatment because of concerns related to cost. Since everyone is different, the cost of treatment varies on many factors. During your visit with us, we will go over the estimated cost of your treatment in detail. Until then, here are some things to take into consideration.
We won’t be able to determine the exact cost of your root canal treatment until we see you in person. This is because there are many factors that we consider. Here are some of the most prominent ones.
Many people are tempted to skip the root canal process and have their tooth extracted instead. However, this isn’t an ideal solution. The cost for the tooth extraction is lower upfront, but you should also consider the long-term consequences of losing one of your natural teeth. After an extraction, your bite can be negatively impacted as the surrounding teeth shift out of place to fill in the space. This results in difficult chewing and general discomfort. To prevent this, you would need to replace your missing tooth with a dental bridge or a dental implant. The cost of these options adds up quickly, so root canal treatment is a more cost-effective, long-term solution.
Root canal treatment is usually considered by dental insurance providers to be major restorative treatment. This means that treatment is covered up to 50% after your annual deductible has been met and before the maximum has been exceeded. Just remember that every plan Is a little bit different, so it is best to confirm ahead of time so that you don’t run into any surprises.
If you don’t have dental insurance, this doesn’t mean that you are completely out of luck. With our in-house membership plan, you can save on treatments completed at our practice. We are also happy to accept payments through CareCredit and Alpheon. These third-party financing companies can split the cost of your treatment into manageable monthly installments with little to no interest. If you have any questions or need help applying, don’t hesitate to contact us!