When a general dentist refers you to our office, we become a partner for your comprehensive tooth care.   We use highly specialized equipment to help you retain your natural teeth. 

We will schedule your appointment as promptly as possible. If you have pain or an emergency situation, every attempt will be made to see you that day.

We try our best to stay on schedule to minimize your waiting. Due to the fact that practice provides surgical services as well as emergency care, various circumstances may lengthen the time allocated for a procedure. We appreciate your understanding and patience.

We respect your time and ask that you respect ours by honoring your appointment commitment.  A broken appointment is a loss to everyone.  Please give us at least 48 hours notice if you are unable to keep your appointment.

A typical visit to our office begins with completing paperwork, which includes your medical history and consent forms.  The forms are available in the office, or they can be downloaded from our site and completed prior to coming to the office.  Once all forms are complete, a staff member will review and chart your chief complaint and history of the tooth pain before taking x-rays of your teeth.

Once your first set of x-rays is complete, you will be greeted by your doctor, who will review your paperwork and evaluate symptoms prior to testing the tooth in question along with adjacent teeth. After the tests are complete, a diagnosis will be given to determine the best treatment care and prognosis. Possible post-treatment decisions such as a crown on the treated tooth will be addressed.

Your doctor will inform you of the options, benefits, and risks involved in order for you to understand how endodontic treatment is a way of saving your tooth.

If treatment is necessary and you decide to receive it, the procedure may start immediately. Before treatment begins, you will receive local anesthesia to numb any sensations you may feel during the procedure.  Once the tooth is numb, we place a protective shield over your mouth called a dental dam to keep it clean during treatment.  

Using a microscope and small instruments, the doctor creates a opening in the crown of the tooth to acces the damaged pulp.   The pulp is removed and replaced with a compatible material and sealed.   Usually a temporary filling is placed to close the opening.    

If the procedure is unable to be completed within one visit, medicine may be placed inside the tooth between appointments.  Once your procedure is complete, more x-rays are taken to track the success of the treatment. You will be provided with review sheets that include your post-operation instructions and what to expect over the next few days.

Once your treatment is complete, we recommend contacting your dentist to replace the temporary filling with a crown or other restoration to return it to full use. 

In some instances, the normal non-surgical root canal therapy cannot appropriately or completely correct the issue or if the canals are unusually narrow or blocked, your endodontist may recommend endodontic surgery

The type of surgery typically performed is called an apicoectemy.   Using a microscope, a small incision is made in the gum tissue near the tooth to access the underlying root.  

Any inflamed or infected tissue as well as the end of the root are removed and a small filling is placed.  The gum tissue is sutured back in place to ensure healing and the surrounding bone usually heals around the root over a few months. 

The fee for your endodontic treatment will be based on the extent of treatment required and which tooth is affected.  We understand that dental treatment, especially specialty care, can be an unexpected expense and we are committed to helping you afford the treatment that you need and deserve.  We will discuss fees and payment with you before any treatment is performed. 

For your convenience we accept:

• Cash & Check
• Debit & Credit Cards - Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express

We also offer payment options through a third party financing service that specializes in healthcare payments.  Follow the link for more information:  CareCredit

As a courtesy, our front office staff will check your benefits and send in the proper claims for reimbursement. Our office software provides real time claim processing so you will be clear about the estimated portion your insurance provider will cover and which portion you will be responsible for. Only the estimated portion of your bill not covered by insurance will be due at the time of service.

If your portion cannot be paid at the time of service, we will discuss other financing options with you prior to treatment. However, regardless of your dental coverage, you are still responsible for the entire account.

If you do not have dental insurance, we request the total fee be paid upon completion of the treatment.

We also offer payment options through a third party financing service that specializes in healthcare payments.  Follow the link for more information: CareCredit

We have our forms available online through a secure login. You must first obtain your individual login credentials from our front desk if you have not already received them.  

If you already have your credentials, just go to the LOGIN menu above and select PATIENT LOGIN.   

All of our forms are included below to help save you time during your office visit.   You can download the forms and fill them out and print from your computer, or just print and fill them out by hand.   Bring the necessary forms with you to your office visit.  

Patient Information & Medical History - Required for all new patients

Financial Authorization - Required for each office visit

Privacy Policy Acknowledgement  - Required for each office visit

Consent for Treatment - Required for Endodontic treatment

Consent for Surgery - Required for Endodontic surgery

Privacy Policy - To understand our information privacy requirements and your rights

Note:

You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view our form. Please download the free Acrobat Reader from Adobe's web site if it is not already installed on your system.

It is normal to feel some tenderness in the area over the next few days as your body undergoes the natural healing process. You may also feel some tenderness in your jaw from keeping it open for an extended period of time.  These symptoms are temporary and usually respond very well to over-the-counter pain medications. It is important for you to follow the instructions on how to take these medications.

You can download additional instructions for your specific procedure:

Post-treatment (Root Canal) Instructions

Post-surgery Instructions

Note:

You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view our instructions. Please download the free Acrobat Reader from Adobe's web site if it is not already installed on your system.