Frequently asked questions at West Fort Worth Endodontics

What is a root canal exactly?

The root canal is a procedure designed to remove infected pulp tissue from under the hard enamel layers of your tooth. Your tooth has the outer layer called enamel, then under it is another hard layer called dentin. Inside the dentin is the pulp, which is where the blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue of your tooth are.

Your dentist will recommend a root canal if there’s been some sort of damage or disease to your tooth that has caused an infection in your tooth. A root canal procedure is where we make a small hole in your tooth, remove the infected tissue and clean the canal, then seal the tooth back up to prevent anything else from getting inside the tooth.

The most important thing to remember is: a root canal procedure (or “root canal therapy”, as we call it) is designed to save your tooth instead of removing it. That means your tooth can continue to function in chewing and smiling for years and years after you have your root canal therapy procedure.

Are root canals common?

Absolutely! We wouldn’t have started our practice at West Fort Worth Endodontics if we didn’t see an opportunity to help save teeth and fight tooth pain in Fort Worth. Root canal procedures happen millions of times a year, so if you need to have a root canal done, don’t feel like you’ve done something wrong or are an anomaly.

How long does a root canal typically take?

A typical root canal therapy session lasts about an hour to an hour and a half and is overseen by Dr. Nieves or Dr. Fitzhugh at our office in Ft. Worth. Depending on the severity of the issue and whether you’ve seen a dentist beforehand, we may be able to have you in and out in one day. Sometimes you may come in for a consultation and be rescheduled for the procedure later. It really all depends on what your unique situation is.

What’s a typical root canal therapy procedure like?

Before the procedure, our team will take diagnostic images that will help us understand the extent of the damage to your tooth and how we’ll approach the procedure. This is done using state-of-the-art imaging technology that can give us not only a 2D picture of your mouth (such as X-rays) but also a 3D image where we can see things in context and at high detail.

During the procedure, your endodontist will numb your mouth and use the GentleWave® machine to get a minimally-invasive yet extremely thorough cleaning of the infection area. After the root canal treatment is complete, our team will give you an overview of what to look out for in the coming days and how to take great care of your tooth.

Most of the time, our patients are able to return to work or school the same day as the procedure. Thanks to the latest endodontic technology, root canals aren’t anything like the horrible stories of the past!

How do I know if I even need a root canal?

Typically, most of our patients are referred to us by their dentist because dentists are on the front lines of teeth health. But, the truth is that you may see some symptoms that could mean you need an endodontist to take a look at your teeth. Those may include:

• Severe pain when chewing, especially with harder or chewier materials

• A chipped or cracked tooth, which may also lead to pain

• Noticeable sensitivity to hot or cold foods and drinks

• Discoloration on the tooth or around the gums

What other types of procedures do you offer at West Fort Worth Endodontics?

Our endodontists at WFW Endodontics are both board-certified, so they provide the highest level of treatment for any procedure that saves your original teeth or fights infections of the root canal. Some of those procedures include:

• Root canal retreatments

• Cracked tooth management

• Apicoectomy

• Dental pain diagnosis

• Emergency dental services