Procedures

Endodontic treatments can give you a healthier, more complete smile that can last you a lifetime. Superstition Springs Endodontics can help revitalize and maintain your teeth and gums, giving you the smile you've always wanted.

Root Canal

A root canal is a common dental procedure. Over 14 million are performed every year. This simple treatment can save your natural teeth and prevent the need for dental implants or bridges. At the center of your tooth there is dental pulp. The dental pulp is a collection of blood vessels that help to build the surrounding tooth. Infection of the pulp can be caused by trauma to the tooth, deep decay, cracks and chips, or repeated dental procedures. Symptoms of the infection can be identified as visible injury or swelling of the tooth, sensitivity to temperature, or pain in the tooth and gums. A root canal is a procedure to remove the diseased pulp, clean the canal, and seal it. It usually involves local anesthesia. You will be able to drive home after your treatment, and you probably will be comfortable returning to your normal routine.

Endodontic Retreatment

With proper care, even teeth that have had root canal treatment can last a lifetime. But sometimes, a tooth that has been treated doesn't heal properly and can become painful or diseased months or even years after treatment. If your tooth failed to heal or develops new problems, you have a second chance. An additional procedure may be able to support healing and save your tooth. Once retreatment has been selected as a solution to your problem, the doctors will reopen your tooth to gain access to the root canal filling material. This restorative material will be removed to enable access to the root canal. The doctors will now clean your canals and carefully examine the inside of the problematic tooth. Once cleaned, the doctors will fill and seal the canals and place a temporary filling in the tooth.

At this point, you will need to return to your dentist as soon as possible in order to have a new crown or restoration placed on the tooth to restore full functionality.

Apicoectomy

An apicoectomy, or root-end resection, may be needed when inflammation or infection persists in the bony area around the end of your tooth after a root canal procedure.

Your endodontist performs this micro surgical procedure first making you comfortable by applying local anesthesia before opening the gum tissue near the tooth to see the underlying bone and to remove any imflamed or infected tissue. A root-end filling is placed to prevent reinfection of the root and the gum is sutured. The bone naturally heals around the root over a period of months restoring full function.

Following the procedure, there may be some discomfort or slight swelling while the incision heals. This is normal for any surgical procedure. To alleviate any discomfort, an appropriate pain medication will be recommended. If you have pain that does not respond to medication, please call our office.

Cracked Teeth

Whether through general wear and tear or injury sometimes a tooth will crack in such a way that a general dentist cannot treat and it may cause severe pain and sensitivity.

We specialize in saving cracked teeth and will cater treatment to the type, location, and extent of the crack. The sooner your tooth is treated, the better the outcome. Once treated, most cracked teeth continue to function as they should for many years of pain-free biting and chewing.

Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT)

Supersition Springs Endodontics (SSE) is a leader in application of Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT). While CBCT is rapidly gaining popularity in many disciplines of dentistry, CBCT is the future of endodontics and the applications in endodontics seem almost limitless. For this reason, we have chosen to implement this technology into our practice.

This diagnostic imaging technology lets us see our patient's teeth with greater detail which allows us to plan treatment better and accomplish it quicker. It also exposes patients to less radiation than traditional x-ray imaging technology.

"Dr. Barney spent a lot of time carefully diagnosing my dental issue, even seeing me as a walk-in when I was in pain. The root canal was easy and nearly painless, and Dr. Barney was so good at explaining the entire process. High marks to Dr. Barney and the wonderful, friendly staff at Superstition Springs Endodontics!"
— Lynn

Regenerative Endo Therapy

Superstition Springs Endodontics is a leader in regenerative endodontic therapy. Regenerative endodontic therapy, also called pulpal revascularization or pulpal regeneration, is an exciting aspect of endodontics. This procedure has shown to revitalize or revascularize previously necrotic (dead) pulpal tissue and allow the immature tooth to complete its development. This procedure is at the forefront of tissue engineering in dentistry.

The dental pulp has been identified as a potential source for stem cells, and pulpal revascularization could be summarized as dentistry's initial treatment protocol for tissue engineering/stem cell type therapy.

Pulpal revascularization treatment has been successfully performed at SSE since 2002 and our cases have been included in seminars, lectures and research databases.

Trauma

Sometimes a tooth may be pushed partially out of the socket or pushed back into the socket. Superstition Springs Endodontics may reposition and stabilize your tooth. If the pulp remains healthy then no other treatment is necessary. However, if the pulp becomes damaged or infected root canal treatment will be required.

If an injury causes a tooth to be completely knocked out of your mouth, it is important you are treated immediately! If this happens to you, keep the tooth moist. If possible, put it back into the socket. A tooth can be saved if it remains moist. You can even put the tooth in milk or a glass of water (add a pinch of salt.) Your endodontist may start root canal treatment based upon the stage of the root development. The length of time the tooth was out of your mouth and the way the tooth was stored, may influence the type of treatment you receive. Call our office right away: 480.807.8022

"Dr. Hales performed a root canal on me today and I am so impressed with his techniqes. I hardly felt anything and had a pleasant experience!"
— Christina