Root Canal Therapy in West Hills
A toothache that wakes you at night, a throb when you sip something cold, or a tooth that has darkened after a fall can make ordinary days hard to get through. For many of these problems, root canal therapy is how we treat the infected or inflamed tissue inside a tooth so you can keep that tooth instead of losing it. At 805 Dentistry, we treat patients from West Hills and throughout the surrounding communities. Our board-certified endodontist, imaging, sedation, and crowns are all under one roof, so you do not have to coordinate care across several offices.
Inside every tooth is a space called the pulp, which holds nerves and blood vessels. When deep decay, a crack, or an injury lets bacteria reach that space, the pulp can become inflamed or infected. During root canal therapy, we remove the damaged tissue, clean and shape the canals, and then seal them. The tooth stays in place and keeps doing its job.
Our endodontics office has a board-certified endodontist on staff. This is a specialist focused on the inside of the tooth, and you can see them without a referral. West Hills patients can call us directly when a tooth starts hurting, and we will schedule an evaluation without waiting on paperwork from another provider. We also treat cracked teeth and traumatic dental injuries, and we perform root canal retreatments when a previously treated tooth needs attention again.
Root canal therapy is not one-size-fits-all, because teeth differ in shape and in how many canals they contain. We offer three variations, and the right one depends on which tooth is involved:
- Anterior root canal therapy treats the front teeth: the incisors and canines. These teeth usually have a single canal, and their position in your smile makes keeping them especially important to many patients.
- Premolar root canal therapy treats the teeth between your canines and molars. Premolars may have one or two canals, and they handle both biting and chewing.
- Molar root canal therapy treats the large back teeth that do most of your grinding. Molars typically have several canals, which can make treatment more involved and often more time-consuming.
Compared side by side, anterior treatment tends to be the most straightforward, and molar treatment usually requires the most detailed work. We use CBCT imaging and 2D and 3D dental imaging to see canal anatomy clearly before and during treatment. A board-certified oral and maxillofacial radiologist on staff can interpret those scans. If a back tooth has an unusual root structure, we can plan for it ahead of time.
How do I know if I need a root canal?
The only way to know for certain is an exam and imaging, but certain signs suggest it is time to call. These include lingering sensitivity to hot or cold, pain when chewing, swelling near a tooth, or a tooth that has changed color after an injury.
Some patients have no symptoms at all, and we find the problem on an X-ray during a routine visit. Others come to us after a chipped or cracked tooth, or after trauma from a sports accident or fall. If you are in pain, we offer same-day emergency appointments, so West Hills residents dealing with an urgent problem do not have to wait days to be seen.
What happens during and after the procedure?
The procedure starts with numbing the area, and then we work carefully through each canal. Patients with dental anxiety can choose from nitrous oxide, oral sedation, IV sedation, or general anesthesia. These options are provided with the support of our board-certified dental anesthesiologist.
Most treated teeth need a restoration afterward to protect them, especially premolars and molars that take heavy chewing forces. Because we have an on-site dental lab and place crowns ourselves, we can manage that next step here rather than sending you elsewhere. Afterward, we will give you aftercare instructions for your specific tooth. Expect guidance on eating carefully until your final restoration is placed, along with continued brushing, flossing, and regular checkups. If a tooth needs further care down the road, we offer retreatment and apicoectomy as options.
How can I pay for root canal therapy?
We accept all major PPO insurance plans, and we welcome self-pay patients. Financing is also available if you would like to spread out the cost of treatment.
Our endodontics office files insurance claims as a specialist, so we will review your coverage with you before treatment begins. That way you understand your options up front. Whether you are a West Hills family already in our care or a new patient with a sore tooth, call our team and we will help you schedule an evaluation.