Root Canal in Winslow, AZ: What to Expect at Winslow Dental
Published by Winslow Dental.
If you've just been told you need a root canal in Winslow, AZ, you might be bracing for the worst. We hear that worry often, usually from patients who've heard that root canals are painful. Below, Dr. Brent Gardner explains what a root canal with us feels like, how long it takes, whether you'll need a crown afterward and how we help you plan for the cost, so you can walk in knowing what to expect.
A root canal treats infection or inflammation in the pulp, the soft tissue inside your tooth. The damaged pulp is removed, and the inside of the tooth is cleaned, filled and sealed. The goal is to save your natural tooth so you can keep chewing with it.
Does a root canal hurt?
Most people are comfortable during a root canal once the tooth is fully numb. When Dr. Gardner tells a patient they need one, he explains that the worst part is "just laying there in the chair with your mouth open" while the work gets done.
Getting you numb is where he starts. Patients tell us, without being asked, that Dr. Gardner is good at getting them numb, and he takes the time to make sure the area is fully numb before he begins. For longer visits, oral sedation and nitrous oxide are available so you can relax through the whole appointment.
The time a root canal can be painful is when the tooth has an active infection. If you come in with a toothache and swelling, Dr. Gardner will often put you on an antibiotic and bring you back in a couple of days, once the infection is under control. That gives you a better experience, and it lets him do a better job of cleaning out the tooth.
How long does a root canal take?
A root canal takes about 45 minutes. When the tooth is a back tooth that needs a crown, Dr. Gardner usually places the crown at the same appointment, so the whole visit can run about two hours.
A root canal and crown visit at our Winslow dental office usually goes like this:
- Dr. Gardner numbs the tooth and completes the root canal.
- He prepares the tooth for its crown during the same appointment.
- Your crown is designed and milled in our office with CEREC technology. That takes about 45 minutes, and you wait while it's made.
- You come back to the chair, and 10 or 15 minutes later your crown is cemented and you're done.
Two hours sounds like a long time in the dental chair. In Dr. Gardner's words, "that's not all in the chair." Part of that time is spent waiting while your crown is milled.
Do you need a crown after a root canal?
A back tooth almost always needs a crown after a root canal. A front tooth often doesn't. Dr. Gardner will tell you which one applies to your tooth before treatment starts.
Patients sometimes assume it works the other way around, too. Getting a crown doesn't always mean you need a root canal. Dr. Gardner often uses a crown to fix a tooth that's cracked or broken before it reaches the point of needing a root canal or an extraction. With the crown in place, you can brush, floss and chew on that tooth like any other. You can read more about our restorative dentistry services, including crowns.
How much does a root canal cost in Winslow, AZ?
Your cost depends on your tooth, whether it needs a crown at the same visit and what your insurance covers. Before anything is scheduled, you'll get a written treatment plan with ballpark pricing, so you know what to plan for.
Teresa, our Financial Coordinator, walks you through every option so you understand what you're paying, when you're paying it and what your insurance is covering. We're in-network with most major dental insurance plans, and our patients pay in several ways:
- In-house payment plans
- CareCredit
- Cash, check and major credit cards
- HSA or FSA
If you don't have dental insurance, ask about our in-house membership plan. You can see the plans we accept on our finances and insurance page.
If a tooth is hurting now, call us. We try to see toothaches the same day when we can, even if the first step is an x-ray and an antibiotic.
Why do Winslow patients choose Winslow Dental and Dr. Gardner for root canals?
Some of our patients drive a long way to see us, and Dr. Gardner plans root canal visits around that. Patients come to us from small communities and reservations across rural Arizona, sometimes driving up to two hours. Finishing the root canal and the crown at one appointment means they don't have to come back in two weeks for a final crown.
Root canals are also the work Dr. Gardner enjoys most. What he loves about dentistry is the procedural side, root canals, buildups, crowns and bridges: taking a tooth that's hurting and getting it back to functional. He'll try to save your tooth first, and he'll tell you straight whether it needs treatment now or can be watched.
Dr. Gardner grew up in Arizona, trained at Ohio State and came home to practice. He has been practicing dentistry for over 12 years and is the third dentist to call Winslow Dental home.
If you've been told you need a root canal, or a tooth has started to ache, call or text us at 928-289-4441 or send us a message. Same-day and next-day appointments are often available at our Winslow dental office.
Published by Winslow Dental (Dr. Brent Gardner).
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