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Brightside Restorative dentistry

Root canals have
a worse reputation than they deserve.

Treatment for a tooth whose nerve has died or become irreversibly inflamed. It is the alternative to losing the tooth.

Call (778) 754-4488 Hours and location

What it is

Mostly it is a long appointment, not a bad one.

The nerve inside the tooth is removed, the canals are cleaned and shaped, and they are sealed. The tooth stays. Because the tooth is fully frozen throughout, most people find the toothache that brought them in was considerably worse than the treatment for it.

  • A deep ache that lingers after hot drinks
  • Pain that wakes you at night
  • The tooth is tender to bite on
  • A pimple or swelling on the gum near a tooth
  • A tooth has darkened
  • A dentist has told you the nerve is involved

What the visit is like

How it goes.

  1. Freezing, properlyAn inflamed nerve can be harder to numb, so we take the time and check before starting. Say if you feel anything.
  2. Cleaning the canalsThe longest part. This is where the appointment length comes from, and it is why we book plenty of time rather than rush it.
  3. Sealing themThe canals are filled and sealed so bacteria cannot re-enter.
  4. Then the tooth needs restoringA root-treated back tooth is brittle and usually needs a crown. That is a separate appointment and a separate fee, and you will know about it before we start, not after.

Cost and coverage

You should never be surprised by a bill.

Every plan arrives with the fee beside each line and the insurance estimate beside that, before you agree to anything. We submit to your plan directly where it allows it, and we are set up for the Canadian Dental Care Plan.

Fees for this are quoted in writing after an exam, per tooth and per surface. Nobody can price it accurately from a website or over the phone.

Common questions

Asked on the phone most weeks.

Is it as bad as people say?
For most people, no. The tooth is frozen and the sensation is pressure. The reputation comes largely from the pain that sends people in, which the treatment removes.
How many visits?
Often one, sometimes two, depending on the tooth and how inflamed it is. Molars have more canals and take longer than front teeth.
Could I just have it out instead?
You can, and sometimes that is the sensible choice. But a gap moves the teeth around it, and replacing the tooth later with an implant or a bridge usually costs more than saving it. We will lay out both rather than assume.

Booking

Say what it is when you call.

If it is pain, say that -- it changes how the day gets arranged. If it is a checkup for three people, say that too and we will try to put you in one morning.

Also at Brightside

Call (778) 754-4488 Hours and location