Root Canal Therapy - Tomball, TX
An Effective Way to Eliminate Tooth Pain
Here in the Tomball area, one of our top goals is to help our patients maintain a complete smile. However, this becomes difficult if a tooth is found to be severely damaged and/or bacteria have infiltrated the inner “pulp” chamber. Thankfully, we offer root canal therapy with up-to-date equipment and technology. This in-depth restorative service leaves your hurting tooth healthier, stronger, and ready to last a lifetime. Read on or give our office a call today to learn more about root canal therapy in Tomball!
Do I Need Root Canal Therapy?
In some cases, the need for root canal therapy may not be apparent. That’s why attending regular check-ups with Dr. James Geer and his Tomball dental team is so important. Digital X-rays and a comprehensive visual examination give us the information we need to diagnose the possible necessity for root canal treatment.
However, noticeable symptoms may include:
The Root Canal Process
You’re likely familiar with the white portion of your tooth that shows when you smile known as enamel, but what about below the surface? There’s calcified tissue known as dentin, and then, the inner pulp that contains blood vessels, connective tissues, and nerves. While these elements are crucial during the tooth’s initial development, the tooth can survive without them after development due to the surrounding gum tissue.
If your tooth’s pulp is infected, root canal therapy is necessary. Before beginning any work, we’ll first ensure your mouth is completely numb with a local anesthetic. Dr. Geer will then access the inside of the tooth and thoroughly clean out the pulp and infection, replacing it with a biocompatible material that’ll seal the area to minimize the chances of further entry by bacteria. Finally, we’ll restore any lost structure with a brand-new, quality dental crown. Most patients find that root canal therapy alleviates the significant discomfort of infection in just one visit, and the procedure itself is as comfortable as getting a filling placed.
The Benefits of Getting a Root Canal
Root canal therapy is a safe dental treatment that prevents more serious oral health problems later on. Here are several benefits you can expect to appreciate from this procedure:
Understanding the Cost of Root Canals
Patients are often a little bit nervous when they come in for a root canal procedure, and the last thing that we want is to have the finances associated with your treatment contribute to that anxiety. In an effort to make every aspect of your procedure as comfortable as possible, we try to make it easy to pay for your root canal treatment.
We’ll give you a complete estimate for what the care you receive from us will cost when we meet you, but here’s what you should know beforehand about the price of our services.
Factors That Can Affect Root Canal Cost
It’s important to realize that root canals are different for everyone, which means that the price of the procedure can vary from person to person. The particulars of your procedure can influence its complexity, and similarly, its cost.
For example, molars have more root tissue than incisors and bicuspids. This makes them more expensive to treat. Some teeth are also affected by disease much more substantially than others, which makes the procedure more complicated; in some cases, you may need to talk to a specialist with their own rates for their services.
When your root canal is completed, you might need a dental crown to fully repair your tooth. The price of this restoration is something you should also factor into your budget from the beginning of your treatment.
Is it Cheaper to Pull My Tooth?
When looking only at the upfront cost of the procedure itself, patients often think that extracting a tooth is cheaper than a root canal. However, simply getting rid of a tooth incurs a hidden cost you might not have considered: that of replacing the tooth.
Leaving a gap in your smile can lead to a host of oral health problems, from misalignment to jawbone degradation. For this reason, it’s crucial that you replace any teeth you lose with a denture, bridge, or implant. Root canals become the much more affordable option when you factor in the cost of replacing the teeth you’ve had extracted.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Root Canals?
Root canals are done for important medical reasons, which means that dental insurance companies are usually more than willing to cover at least a portion of the cost of your treatment. While every plan is different, this usually amounts to around 50% of the total cost of your dental care.
You’ll also be happy to learn that we accept most PPO insurance plans, which means that most people are going to be able to get some level of reimbursement for the care that they receive. We’ll be able to help you navigate the process of filing claims when we meet you in person in order to make affording your dental care as easy as possible, so if you’re interested in learning more, make an appointment for a consultation with us today!