St Clair Spadina Dental - Toronto

Root Canal in Toronto

Root canals can be careful, quick, and relatively pain-free bringing you immediate relief and saving your natural tooth.
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Saving your natural tooth

In a root canal procedure, the pulp of the tooth (the living tissue inside) is removed and the resulting space is filled with special, medicated dental materials that restore the tooth to full function. Using root canal therapy not only preserves your natural tooth, extending its lifetime, it also protects and preserves the jaw bone and other supporting tissues around the tooth. Wherever possible, saving your natural tooth will also save you from more pain and expense down the road.

    There are a number of signs that suggest root canal therapy may be necessary:
  • Sensitivity to hot and cold.
  • Severe toothache pain.
  • Red or swollen gums near the tooth.
  • Discolouration of the tooth.
  • An abscess (or pimple) on the gums.

The root canal treatment plan

A root canal treatment usually requires one or two office visits and is performed by either a dentist or an endodontist. Here is how we perform your root canal:

Diagnosis and Treatment Plan

The first step requires an x-ray of the tooth and the surrounding bone to find out what’s causing your symptoms. Your specialist may prescribe antibiotics to help control infection and inflammation. The pressure from infected swelling is what makes an abscess so painful and is often the cause of pain during a root canal. Reducing this inflammation in advance removes this factor during the procedure.

Prepping the Tooth

When we’re ready to perform the root canal, we will patiently numb the area before freezing your gums, teeth and tissues. Your comfort and peace-of-mind are important to us. Once you’re comfortable, an access hole is drilled into the tooth. The pulp, bacteria, decayed nerve tissue, and related debris are removed.

Sealing the Tooth

Depending on the severity of the abscess, we may put some medicine inside the tooth to completely clear up any infection. If the procedure requires multiple visits, a temporary filling will be applied. At this point, you will already feel some relief. Only when your tooth is thoroughly cleaned and healthy can it be permanently sealed.

Cost of a root canal in Toronto

The cost of dental treatment varies widely, but saving the tooth with a root canal is more cost-efficient in the long run. With a typical insurance plan, root canal therapy has an average out-of-pocket cost of around $200 to $500+. After an oral exam, we would be happy to provide you with an accurate quote for your insurance company so you can find out your actual out-of-pocket costs. Without insurance, you can expect to pay anywhere from $600 to $1200+ for treatment.

    Why is there such a wide ballpark estimate of the cost? When we generate a quote for root canal therapy we consider factors like:
  • The severity of the infection.
  • The location of the infection in your mouth.
  • The health of the surrounding teeth and gums.
  • Complications which may require more time or a delicate and experienced touch.

No dental practice can provide an accurate quote over the phone. Every case is different so it's important to speak with a dentist who can evaluate your unique situation and provide you with all your treatment options for your consideration.

Is there an alternative treatment to root canals?

An abscess or infection in your tooth is extremely dangerous and considered an urgent health matter. Many people think of root canals as some sort of ‘lesser evil’ to end excruciating dental pain. More important than that, root canals remove an infection that can spread and become life-threatening, requiring much more urgent and invasive care. This is why we work tirelessly to fight the reputation that root canal therapy has gained and why your comfort and peace-of-mind is so important to us.

If you think you may have an infection but you really don’t want a root canal, we strongly encourage you to reach out to us anyways. We will not perform any procedure without your full understanding and consent and may have alternative options for you with the ultimate goal of resolving your infection.

Contact us today

to schedule an initial consultation & exam.

Your consultation will include an examination of everything from your teeth, gums and soft tissues to the shape and condition of your bite. Generally, we want to see how your whole mouth looks and functions. Before we plan your treatment we want to know everything about the health and aesthetic of your smile, and, most importantly, what you want to achieve so we can help you get there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Damage can occur due to deep decay, trauma, dead nerve, a loose filling or crown or a crack or chip in the tooth.
Thanks to modern techniques and technology and a compassionate dental philosophy our highly trained team of dentists and hygienists can provide root canal treatments with minimal to no pain at all.
By the time you realize you need a root canal, your tooth pulp and nerve have already begun to decay. This infected tissue will never fully heal and would only become infected again. Removing the pulp is the only safe option.
A root canal treatment usually requires one or two office visits. Simple or minor root canal cases usually take about 30 to 60 minutes of treatment, while a more complex case take longer-- around 90 minutes.
That depends on what sort of insurance coverage you have. After a consultation, we can provide you with an estimate to send to your provider. We strongly encourage you to make a root canal a high priority. Please speak to us if you feel any hesitation.
You typically need a dental crown after a root canal on your back grinding teeth, molars and premolars. Front teeth, canines, and incisors may not require a dental crown.

What Our Patients Are Saying

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    Sylvia Prodhan
    8 months ago
    This was the best experience I have ever had at a dentist’s clinic. All of the staff there were very patient, sweet and accommodating. I made a last minute appointment for a wisdom tooth removal, and was very nervous. Dr. Yip was respectful and gentle, and communicated with me every step of the way. They even let me keep my tooth! I felt very safe in the care of Dr. Yip, Janine, and Khairun. If you’re looking for a clinic that you can trust, this is the place. Thank you again.
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    Katie Babcock
    3 weeks ago
    Wonderful experience at St. Clair Spadina Dental. I had my first appointment there this week and I was really impressed with the level of care and attention both Dr. Yip and his staff paid to several dental issues I've had for a while. I'm looking forward to getting everything sorted out in the coming months!
    More
    Elisa Gontier
    1 month ago
    My family and I have been going to St Clair Spadina Dental dental for years. Dr Yip and his team are kind, knowledgeable and compassionate. I always feel very well taken care of and would recommend them to anyone!
    More
    Tracey Gordon
    2 months ago
    Dr. Yip, who is dentist to both my daughter and I, is excellent; he is very knowledgeable, kind and takes time to explain procedures. Due to having sensitivity with the “Waterpic” type of cleaning, Dr. Yip cleans my teeth the old school way! Staff are always pleasant and professional. No fluff or pretence, just great dentistry. Thank you! ❤️
    More
    Jelena L
    5 months ago
    A great dental clinic! The staff is all very friendly and know what they're doing. Dr. Carl Yip is very attentive and patient. I'm always nervous going to the dentist but the experience here has been so seamless and makes me less nervous!
    More
    Sylvia Prodhan
    8 months ago
    This was the best experience I have ever had at a dentist’s clinic. All of the staff there were very patient, sweet and accommodating. I made a last minute appointment for a wisdom tooth removal, and was very nervous. Dr. Yip was respectful and gentle, and communicated with me every step of the way. They even let me keep my tooth! I felt very safe in the care of Dr. Yip, Janine, and Khairun. If you’re looking for a clinic that you can trust, this is the place. Thank you again.
    More
    Katie Babcock
    3 weeks ago
    Wonderful experience at St. Clair Spadina Dental. I had my first appointment there this week and I was really impressed with the level of care and attention both Dr. Yip and his staff paid to several dental issues I've had for a while. I'm looking forward to getting everything sorted out in the coming months!
    More
    Elisa Gontier
    1 month ago
    My family and I have been going to St Clair Spadina Dental dental for years. Dr Yip and his team are kind, knowledgeable and compassionate. I always feel very well taken care of and would recommend them to anyone!
    More
    Tracey Gordon
    2 months ago
    Dr. Yip, who is dentist to both my daughter and I, is excellent; he is very knowledgeable, kind and takes time to explain procedures. Due to having sensitivity with the “Waterpic” type of cleaning, Dr. Yip cleans my teeth the old school way! Staff are always pleasant and professional. No fluff or pretence, just great dentistry. Thank you! ❤️
    More
    Jelena L
    5 months ago
    A great dental clinic! The staff is all very friendly and know what they're doing. Dr. Carl Yip is very attentive and patient. I'm always nervous going to the dentist but the experience here has been so seamless and makes me less nervous!
    More
      St Clair Spadina Dental - Toronto

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