Root Canals

Dr. Hassey and Dr. Do Duy have many years of experience diagnosing and performing successful root canal procedures.

A person experiences severe pain when bacterial infection reaches the nerve endings located inside tooth structure. In some instances, this bacteria may cause the nerve to slowly die as it spreads to surrounding tooth structure. It is necessary to target and remove this bacteria, in order to preserve the affected teeth and overall health of a patient’s mouth. In these cases, a root canal is a proven procedure for relieving pain and restoring overall dental health. A typical root canal procedure consists of the following procedures:

• Removal of affected tooth structure
• Cleaning the nerve space inside the roots of the affected tooth
• Filling the sanitized tooth canal with a special filing
• On some occasions, the tooth will be capped with a dental crown
• Information on healing practices to ensure proper root canal recovery

Non-Surgical Root Canal

The best way to think of a non-surgical root canal is to envision a deep filling. During this procedure, we will drill further than we usually do during a filling; however, we will not drill as far as we would during a traditional root canal.

We can access the root canal during this procedure, allowing us to clean it thoroughly; however, we should not have to make an incision into the gum itself. We have plenty of options to keep you comfortable during the procedure, and we will let you know if you are a candidate for this option.

Non-Surgical Canal Re-Treatment

After we finish a root canal, we will invite you back to the office for a follow-up appointment. We want to make sure the treatment was successful. 

However, in some situations, you might not recover completely. Sometimes, symptoms do not come back for months or years. If your symptoms return, we can explore a non-surgical root canal re-treatment. There are numerous reasons why the symptoms come back. Some of the most common reasons include:

• Narrow canals that were not identified during the initial treatment.
• The crown did not prevent bacteria from infiltrating the root system.
• Some canals are curved, making them difficult to access during a root canal.

Regardless of what the reason might be, we can explore non-surgical root canal retreatment as a way to preserve your tooth and adequately clean the canals.

Modern technology and methods have made root canals a less invasive procedure, and Dr. Hassey and Dr. Do Duy take great care to ensure that patients are comfortable and relaxed during their root canal surgery.

If you are experiencing acute pain in your teeth, don’t prolong your trip to the dentist any longer. Schedule you appointment with our dentists in Methuen MA today!