Root Canal Treatment in Coeur d'Alene and Sandpoint

Everyone's heard myths and stories about root canal treatment, but thankfully, none of them are true!

When you need root canal treatment in Coeur d'Alene, Sandpoint, or Ponderay, ID, you are in excellent hands at North Idaho Dental Group. Our experienced dentists are known for their gentle approach, and we offer a full range of dental sedation if you still feel you could use some extra help to relax.

Why Root Canals Are Necessary

If you have had a root canal infection, you know how painful the symptoms can be. The reason it's so painful is that bacteria have entered the soft inner core of the tooth where nerves are located and caused an infection. 

The tissue in this soft core is called dental pulp. When pulp is inflamed or infected, there are only two options to treat it: perform a root canal or remove the tooth. In most cases, we will recommend root canal treatment to preserve the tooth.

Symptoms of a Root Canal Infection

We mentioned symptoms, but not every root canal infection causes persistent tooth pain, and there are several other signs to watch out for:

• Sharp pain when eating hot or cold foods
• A tooth that is discolored or dark grey in appearance
• A swollen or painful jaw 
• Swollen gums
• A "pimple" or abscess on the gums
• Extreme sensitivity or pain when touching the tooth

If you experience any of these, please call us right away. It's crucial to treat an infected tooth promptly to save it from extraction and prevent the infection from affecting other parts of your body.

With our dentists' expertise and experience, we can perform nearly all root canals in-house, saving you a trip to an unfamiliar dental office for treatment.

The goal of root canal treatment is to remove the infected pulp to preserve the tooth's structure. Before we begin, we numb the tooth we're treating with a very potent anesthetic to ensure you won't feel any pain and will remain comfortable throughout the procedure.

Next, our dentists comfortably and efficiently remove the pulp using leading-edge technology called rotary endodontics. This technology streamlines treatment, so you'll appreciate how efficient and comfortable the procedure is if you've had a root canal before. The design of rotary endodontics also allows our dentists to more easily access every part of the root canal to remove the infection.

After we remove the infected pulp, we disinfect the inside of the tooth, fill the space to prevent reinfection, then seal the tooth. The final step is to place a temporary filling that protects the tooth as it heals.

Healing takes about two weeks, at which time you'll return to NIDG so we can place a final filling or crown to protect the tooth.

Sedation Dentistry for Your Comfort Near Sandpoint

We are pleased to offer every level of sedation, including nitrous oxide, oral sedation, IV sedation, and general anesthesia at our Coeur d'Alene and Ponderay dental offices.

Our dentists administer nitrous oxide and oral sedation while a trained dental anesthesiologist visits our offices to deliver safe IV sedation and general anesthesia.

Have a Toothache and Think You Need an Emergency Root Canal?

If you are in pain or experience any other symptoms mentioned above, please call North Idaho Dental Group. Our same-day emergency dentistry will get you out of pain, stabilize your situation, and ensure you're comfortable until our next opening, when we can provide treatment.

Please call our Coeur d'Alene or Ponderay dental office, and we will provide the prompt pain relief you need. We are also pleased to serve patients in Sandpoint, ID, and all surrounding communities.