Relieve pain, restore your smile, regain comfort.
Rather than a dreaded procedure, a root canal is a routine, pain-free treatment that can save a damaged or infected tooth. At Perfect Smile Dental Care, patients with tooth pain, sensitivity, or signs of an infection can get timely treatment in a state-of-the-art dental office. Sometimes, a single treatment is all you need to feel lasting relief and achieve long-term oral health. We gladly serve patients from across the area, including Anaheim, Santa Ana, Irvine, and more. With skilled Orange County dentists, we perform every root canal with precision to relieve pain, stop infection, and restore oral health.
What Is a Root Canal?
Ignore the old movies and cartoons. A root canal is, in fact, a routine procedure that effectively removes infected or inflamed tissue from within a tooth. Without it, that infection could spread, causing more pain, more damage, and potential tooth loss.
A root canal stops all of that in its tracks. It involves three steps, spread over a 60–90 minute visit (on average).
- We remove the infected tissue
- We clean and disinfect the interior of the tooth
- We seal the tooth to prevent future infection
In most cases, you will then need a crown to cover the tooth. While waiting for your custom-made crown, you may receive a temporary crown to help protect the tooth.
Common Signs You May Need a Root Canal
- Severe tooth pain
- New and notable sensitivity to temperatures
- Swollen, tender, discolored, or painful gums
- Cracks or breaks in a tooth
- Signs of infection (swelling, pain, pus, etc.)
What to Expect
1. Evaluation and Diagnosis
We start by reviewing your symptoms, dental history, and pain level. This careful assessment ensures we build the right procedure plan for your oral health needs.
2. Digital X-Rays
X-rays give us a look at the tooth root below the gum. This not only helps confirm the diagnosis but also helps outline the procedure plan.
3. Numbing and Comfort Preparation
Pain-free root canal treatment begins with careful numbing. We inject local anesthetic into the entire area, preventing pain.
4. Cleaning and Sealing the Tooth
The infected or inflamed pulp is removed from inside the tooth. We then clean, shape, and disinfect the tooth interior. Lastly, we seal it.
5. Long-Term Restoration Plan
We build a plan for getting you a crown to cover the tooth. Each crown is custom-made to fit perfectly over the tooth, looking just like a natural, healthy tooth.
Why Choose Perfect Smile Dental Care for Root Canal Therapy?
- Expert-guided diagnosis and procedure planning
- Same-day root canals available for emergencies
- New patients are always welcome
- Convenient location in the heart of Garden Grove
- In-house treatments for each step of your care
- Patient-centric follow-up to ensure long-term health
Serving Patients Across Orange County
We provide expert-guided root canal therapy to patients from Anaheim, Irvine, Tustin, Cypress, Lake Forest, Aliso Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, and Garden Grove. Also, you can visit us if you are visiting Southern California and need top-tier dental care.
FAQs: Root Canal Therapy
How do I know if I need a root canal?
Symptoms that indicate needing a root canal can come on suddenly and are often very noticeable. Pain, swelling, and tooth sensitivity are the most common. Often, the pain is significant enough that it causes difficulty concentrating and going about your day. A cracked tooth could also indicate needing a root canal. Even if the inner tooth is not yet infected, a crack could expose it to bacteria. So taking a proactive step can save you a lot of pain.
Our most important piece of advice is to not wait. Putting off a root canal, even by a day at times, increases your risk. If you wait too long, the pain may go away. Rather than being a good sign, it could indicate the nerves in your tooth have died. When in doubt, call our team. After reviewing your symptoms, we can recommend the right path forward.
Is a root canal painful?
Do I need a root canal or a tooth extraction?
It will depend on the extent of the damage to the tooth. Significant damage or extensive infection may require a tooth extraction. This is why we recommend getting treatment as soon as you notice symptoms. Delaying a root canal is one of the most common reasons for needing an extraction.
How much does a root canal cost in Garden Grove?
Before insurance, a root canal typically costs between $1,000 and $2,000. The good news is that we are in-network with most PPO providers and that insurance plans provide coverage for root canals. However, the out-of-pocket requirement will depend on your plan details, which our care team can help sort out for you.
Additionally, our financing partnerships allow patients to access flexible payment plans rather than a single up-front cost. These are particularly helpful for reducing the financial burder for restoring the tooth with a crown.
What happens after a root canal?
Expect some mild soreness for a few days. Eventually, you will need to cover the tooth with a permanent crown. Until then, avoid chewing any hard foods on the side of the treated tooth.
Will I need a crown?
In some cases, the tooth can be repaired with a filling. However, we rarely recommend this. A filling will wear out sooner than a dental crown, and it does not protect the tooth’s integrity as well. Since tooth material is removed in the process, the tooth’s structural integrity is best supported by a crown to prevent future damage or breaks.
Schedule Your Root Canal Consultation
