Endodontic therapy: the treatment that keeps a tooth which would otherwise have to come out.
The pulp is the inside of the tooth, made of blood vessels and nerves. It can become damaged and infected through deep decay or trauma, and an infection there causes pain and swelling and can end in the loss of the tooth.
Root canal treatment saves the tooth from extraction, relieves the pain and prevents further damage. An opening is made in the tooth and the infected or dead pulp tissue is removed. The root canals are flushed, cleaned and sterilised, then reshaped and sealed with a material called gutta-percha, which prevents the infection returning.
A tooth that has had root canal treatment has had its inside removed and is more brittle than it was. It will usually need a crown to stabilise its structure and stop it fracturing. That is not an upsell; it is the part that decides whether the root canal was worth doing.
The reputation is largely historical. The pain people associate with root canals is the infection, not the treatment, and the treatment is what stops it. If you are anxious, we offer local anaesthesia, laughing gas, oral sedation and intravenous sedation, the last given here by Dr. Kirchmann.
Think you have a tooth that could be saved? Call (914) 967-1242. Sooner is materially better with this one.
Call the practice, or send a note and we will call you back the same working day. Saturday appointments, free parking, and the Metro‑North platform two minutes away.