Providing excellence in endodontic care (root canals) in Meriden and Stratford, Connecticut.

Serving central and southern Connecticut - Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Berlin, Bethany, Branford, Bridgeport, Bristol, Cheshire, Cromwell, Danbury, Derby, Durham, East Haven, Easton, Fairfield, Hamden, Meriden, Middlefield, Middletown, Milford, Monroe, Naugatuck, New Haven, Newtown, North Branford, North Haven, Norwalk, Orange, Oxford, Plainville, Prospect, Rocky Hill, Seymour, Shelton, Southington, Stratford, Trumbull, Wallingford, Waterbury, West Haven, Weston, Westport, Wolcott, Woodbridge  and more.

Before Your Visit:

When you call to schedule an appointment, we will collect your contact information and any applicable insurance information. When we confirm your appointment we will do our best to provide an estimate of the amount due at the time of your appointment. If your dentist has taken recent radiographs of the tooth/area in question, you may want to ask to forward them to our office prior to your appointment.

Welcome to Our Office:

When you arrive you will be greeted by one of our helpful front desk staff. They will ask you to fill out some forms including a brief medical history. At this time you should also provide us with the referral slip from your dentist (if you were given one) and any radiographs or additional information you may have that might be useful to us in your diagnosis and/or treatment.

Diagnostic Evaluation:

All of our appointments begin with a thorough evaluation before any treatment can be rendered. Our doctor will take a history of your current problem or other reason for your referral to our office. Any necessary radiographs will be taken and clinical examination and diagnostic testing performed. Once we have established a diagnosis we will thoroughly review with you the nature of the problem and present your treatment options. You will then have the opportunity to ask any questions about the procedure or discuss any concerns that you may have regarding the root canal treatment.

If your initial appointment was scheduled for evaluation only, and we find that root canal therapy is indicated, we will schedule you for an appointment to have the treatment performed.  If your initial appointment was scheduled for evaluation and treatment as needed, your treatment may be initiated at the same appointment once your diagnosis has been established and treatment options discussed.

Root Canal Treatment:

Before root canal treatment begins, you will receive local anesthetic to numb any sensations you may feel during the procedure. A rubber dam (tent) will then be placed to isolate the your tooth. This protective barrier keeps the saliva and bacteria in your mouth from getting into the tooth we are trying to disinfect, and keeps anything we are working with from getting into your mouth or going down your throat. After isolation of the tooth, an access opening is made into the tooth, and the pulp space is cleaned, disinfected and shaped before a root canal filling material is placed inside the canals of your tooth to seal the space. Most root canal treatments are completed in one appointment, but some cases require placement of a  medicating paste inside the tooth for a few weeks before treatment can be completed at a second appointment. After placement of the root canal filling or medicating paste, the access hole in your tooth is sealed with a temporary filling. X-rays may be taken during the procedure, if needed, and at the conclusion of the procedure. At the end of your appointment, our doctor will review your treatment with you, including post-operative instructions and what to expect over the next few days.

After Root Canal Treatment:

• When you leave our office, you will still be numb for a period of time. During this time please take precautions not to bite your tongue or cheek or burn yourself with any hot liquids, as you might not be able to feel it.
• Your tooth and surrounding gum tissue may be slightly tender for several days as a result of manipulation during treatment, especially if there was pain or infection before the procedure.
• Soreness or discomfort on biting is normal and no cause for alarm.
• These symptoms should resolve naturally with time.
• Discomfort may be alleviated by taking ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) as directed.
• Once your treatment is completed, we will send a report of your treatment, including pre- and post-op x-rays, to your general dentist so that they will have all of the information they need to continue your care.
• After your root canal treatment is completed you will need to schedule and appointment with your general dentist for placement of a permanent restoration on your tooth.

Routine Follow-up:

Six months after your root canal treatment is completed, we will send you a postcard in the mail reminding you to set an appointment with us for a routine follow-up examination. This appointment is quick, easy, and free (no charge), but important to make sure that your tooth and the surrounding structures are all healing properly.

ATTENTION!

If you're scared or worried about root canal treatment because of something you've read on the Internet or seen posted on social media about the “dangers” of root canals, then you should check out RootCanalTruth.com.

RootCanalTruth.com is a very well written and informative website that helps debunk much of the misinformation commonly spread about root canals via social media and other online sources.