Endodontic treatment that protects your smile
Overview
Endodontic treatment removes infection inside the tooth to relieve pain and preserve your natural tooth.
Endodontic treatment removes infection and saves natural teeth
Pain, swelling, sensitivity or deep decay are common signs
Endodontists treat complex cases with advanced expertise
Early care helps stop infection and protect your overall oral health
What is endodontic treatment?
Endodontic treatment focuses on the inside of the tooth, including the pulp and root canals. The most common procedure is root canal therapy, which removes infected or damaged pulp to save the tooth and prevent future issues.
The main goals of endodontic treatment are to:
Relieve tooth pain
Remove infection
Preserve the natural tooth
Restore normal chewing and function
Without endodontic treatment, infection can spread and weaken the tooth and surrounding structures, increasing the risk of tooth loss. Preserving your natural tooth is almost always the best option.
Do you need endodontic treatment?
Tooth pain is the most common sign something is wrong, but other symptoms can also indicate the need for a root canal or other endodontic procedure.
Common signs include:
Severe toothache, especially when chewing
Lingering sensitivity to hot or cold
Darkening or discoloration of a tooth
Swollen, tender or red gums near a specific tooth
Jaw swelling or facial swelling
Deep tooth decay or large cavities close to the pulp
Painful pressure or a feeling of “throbbing” in the tooth
If you notice any of these symptoms, schedule a dental exam soon. Catching infection early helps prevent complications.
Key benefits of endodontic treatment
Saving your natural tooth helps prevent the need for extraction and replacement. Other benefits include:
Eliminating the damaged or infected pulp helps relieve pain and clear infection.
Preventing bacterial spread protects surrounding teeth, gums and bone.
Restoring normal chewing and biting boosts everyday comfort and function.
Maintaining your natural tooth helps preserve jawbone structure and prevent bone loss.
Providing lasting results, properly restored teeth can often last a long time.
Avoiding tooth loss helps you avoid more complex and costly treatments.
Endodontic treatment options
Below are the primary types of endodontic treatments and what each one involves:
Root canal therapy is the most common endodontic treatment. It removes infected pulp, cleans the canals and seals the tooth to prevent reinfection, relieving pain and preserving the natural tooth.
A previously treated tooth can become reinfected from new decay, a missed canal or an incomplete seal. Endodontic retreatment cleans the canals again and reseals the tooth to eliminate infection.
When infection remains at the tip of a tooth’s root after a root canal, an apicoectomy may be needed. In this microsurgical procedure, the endodontist removes the infected root tip and tissue, then seals the root to prevent further infection.
We make dental care easier
Most insurance accepted
Explore dental insurance plans we accept. We do not accept Medicaid.
Same-day appointments
With same-day availability and flexible hours, seeing your provider is easy.
Flexible financing options
99% of patients who apply for 3rd-party financing are approved.
Factors affecting cost of endodontic treatment
Tooth location
Severity of infection
Need for a crown after treatment
Whether a specialist performs the procedure
Diagnostic imaging requirements
Recovering after endodontic treatment
Mild discomfort or sensitivity for 24–72 hours, especially when biting or chewing.
Tenderness around the gums near the treated tooth as inflammation subsides.
Most post-treatment soreness can be managed with over-the-counter pain relievers.
Avoid chewing on the treated side until the final restoration is complete.
Symptoms typically improve within a few days as the infection is removed and healing begins.
Providing lasting results, properly restored teeth can often last a long time.
These expectations are general. Make sure to follow your doctor’s instructions during recovery.
Frequently asked questions about endodontic treatment
With modern anesthesia and techniques, endodontic treatment is usually no more uncomfortable than a filling, and most patients feel relief right away.
Most endodontic treatments are completed in one appointment lasting 60–90 minutes, though complex cases may require a second visit.
An endodontist specializes in diagnosing tooth pain and treating the pulp and root canals. They perform root canals and related procedures to remove infection, relieve pain and save natural teeth.
In most cases, saving the natural tooth is the better choice, as it functions more naturally and helps maintain jawbone health.