ROOT CANAL TREATMENT · BETHESDA, MD

Stop the toothache. Save the tooth.

When decay, a crack or injury reaches the tissue inside your tooth, root canal treatment can remove the source of the problem and help you keep your natural tooth.

Root canal treatment is designed to relieve tooth pain — not add to it.

WHEN TO HAVE A TOOTH CHECKED

Six signs the problem may be deeper than a cavity.

A damaged or inflamed pulp doesn’t always look obvious from the outside. These are some of the reasons a tooth deserves a closer look.

A toothache that won’t quit

A tooth that suddenly reacts to cold, heat or sweets may be telling you something has changed.

Lingering hot or cold sensitivity

Sensitivity that continues after the hot coffee or cold drink is gone can point to a deeper problem inside the tooth.

Pain when you bite

A tooth that hurts when chewing or when pressure is applied should be evaluated rather than simply avoided.

Swollen or tender gums

Localized swelling or tenderness around one tooth may be connected to inflammation or infection near the root.

A bump on the gum

A recurring pimple-like bump near a tooth can be a sign that an infection is draining through the gum.

A cracked or injured tooth

A deep crack, chip or previous injury can damage the pulp even when the tooth doesn’t hurt right away.

Tooth pain can come and go. The underlying problem may not.

The discomfort people associate with “needing a root canal” usually comes from the inflamed or infected tooth. Treatment removes that source from inside the tooth.

WHAT’S HAPPENING INSIDE YOUR TOOTH

The pain isn’t the root canal. It’s the reason you may need one.

Inside every tooth is soft tissue called the pulp, which contains nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue. Deep decay, cracks, repeated dental work or an injury can inflame or infect that tissue.

Once the pulp can no longer recover, a filling on the outside of the tooth isn’t enough. Root canal treatment addresses the problem from inside: the damaged pulp is removed, the canals are cleaned and shaped, and the space is filled and sealed.

The goal is straightforward — remove the source of inflammation or infection while preserving the natural tooth whenever it can be predictably restored.

THE RIGHT RESTORATION FOR YOUR TOOTH

Root canal treatment is only part of restoring the tooth.

Treating the inside solves one part of the problem. The tooth also needs to be sealed and, when necessary, strengthened for everyday biting and chewing.

Root Canal Treatment

The inflamed or infected pulp is removed, and the root canals are carefully cleaned, shaped, filled and sealed.

Seal & Rebuild the Tooth

After the canals are treated, the access opening is closed and the lost tooth structure is rebuilt with an appropriate restorative material.

Larger Tooth Restoration

When too much tooth structure has been lost for a filling alone, a stronger restoration such as a crown may be recommended to rebuild and protect the tooth.

YOUR ROOT CANAL · STEP BY STEP

From painful tooth to protected tooth.

We examine the tooth, test it and review dental imaging to determine whether the pulp is damaged and whether root canal treatment can save it.

Once you’re comfortable, we access the inside of the tooth, remove the damaged pulp and carefully clean, shape and fill the root canals.

The tooth is sealed and restored. Depending on its location and remaining structure, a final crown may be recommended for additional protection.

What patients say

200 reasons to choose us.

We don't ask you to trust us. We let our patients do the talking.

Save the tooth now — and make the cost easier to manage.

Root canal treatment and the restoration your tooth may need afterward are eligible for flexible payment options through Cherry, Sunbit, Proceed, Care Credit. No hard credit check · Approved in seconds · Plans from 3 to 24 months. We also accept most PPO insurance plans.

That toothache is asking for an answer.

If a tooth is throbbing, lingering after hot or cold, painful to bite on or simply doesn’t feel right, let us find out what’s happening and whether root canal treatment can save it.