Steve In Cleveland
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- Joined
- Apr 10, 2012
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- Cleveland, OH (USA)
Your dentist (well, actually, the front desk staff) should be able to give you a full rundown of what's in your treatment plan and the cost of each procedure. No one can guarantee that a deep filling might not turn into a root canal, or conversely, that a root canal might reveal a tooth that can't be saved and consequently a much cheaper extraction. But it should be pretty accurate. Good for you though that the cost sounds less than what you expected.
I'm not sure where you're getting your info on root canals, but it sounds wrong. Root canaled teeth should last a lifetime, if you brush and floss and get regular care. Dentists often refer to the root canal procedure as "saving" the tooth, because the procedure allows you to keep the majority of your tooth after the root chamber is cleaned out. You can check out the full description (with safe drawings) here. Once the root chamber is cleaned out, your dentist fills it with a permanent sealant called gutta percha, which keeps any bacteria and other material out.
Depending on the condition of the remaining healthy crown, your dentist may also "build up" the tooth. This is done with a material called "core paste" which cures to basically the same consistency of a tooth. In some cases, if there's not enough tooth to add the core paste too, the buildup also includes a "post", which is a small pin inserted into the canal, that sticks up and provides a structure to hold the rest of the buildup. Once the tooth is built back up, a crown is usually recommended, which is a metal or ceramic cap that covers the tooth and protects it from damage as also provides further protection from bacteria, etc.
The build-up is included in the cost of the root canal, and performed at the end of the procedure. The crown is another appointment or two, and a separate charge, usually about the same as the cost of the root canal. If the root canal is the result of a tiny, deep cavity, the tooth can be closed with a normal filling, but typically a crown is needed.
Once the tooth is finished and crowned, it will look, feel, and clean just like a normal tooth. You should brush and floss regularly, to keep decay and bacteria out, but no moreso than any other normal teeth. I have several teeth that were root canaled and crowned almost 20 years ago, and they're still as strong and healthy as ever. I actually have a couple teeth that I can't remember if they're "real" or crowned.
You shouldn't need to buy any special appliances or tools, just brush and floss like normal.
I'm not sure where you're getting your info on root canals, but it sounds wrong. Root canaled teeth should last a lifetime, if you brush and floss and get regular care. Dentists often refer to the root canal procedure as "saving" the tooth, because the procedure allows you to keep the majority of your tooth after the root chamber is cleaned out. You can check out the full description (with safe drawings) here. Once the root chamber is cleaned out, your dentist fills it with a permanent sealant called gutta percha, which keeps any bacteria and other material out.
Depending on the condition of the remaining healthy crown, your dentist may also "build up" the tooth. This is done with a material called "core paste" which cures to basically the same consistency of a tooth. In some cases, if there's not enough tooth to add the core paste too, the buildup also includes a "post", which is a small pin inserted into the canal, that sticks up and provides a structure to hold the rest of the buildup. Once the tooth is built back up, a crown is usually recommended, which is a metal or ceramic cap that covers the tooth and protects it from damage as also provides further protection from bacteria, etc.
The build-up is included in the cost of the root canal, and performed at the end of the procedure. The crown is another appointment or two, and a separate charge, usually about the same as the cost of the root canal. If the root canal is the result of a tiny, deep cavity, the tooth can be closed with a normal filling, but typically a crown is needed.
Once the tooth is finished and crowned, it will look, feel, and clean just like a normal tooth. You should brush and floss regularly, to keep decay and bacteria out, but no moreso than any other normal teeth. I have several teeth that were root canaled and crowned almost 20 years ago, and they're still as strong and healthy as ever. I actually have a couple teeth that I can't remember if they're "real" or crowned.
You shouldn't need to buy any special appliances or tools, just brush and floss like normal.
