Restorative care
Root Canals
The treatment that ends the pain, coordinated with a specialist and rebuilt here.
A root canal saves a tooth whose nerve has become infected or died, and it is the treatment that ends the pain rather than causing it. At Soothing Dental your root canal is coordinated with a trusted endodontic specialist, and Dr. Alejandra deFuentes Cutter, D.D.S. restores the tooth afterwards here in Plymouth so the finished result matches the teeth around it.
How the treatment is handled
The root canal procedure itself is currently carried out by an endodontist we work with and trust, which is a specialist who does this treatment and very little else all day. We arrange it, we share the records so nothing has to be repeated, and we take care of the crown or filling that rebuilds the tooth afterwards. You are not handed a phone number and left to organize it yourself.
The reputation is out of date
Root canals have a fearsome reputation earned decades ago. In practice, the pain people associate with a root canal is the infection, not the treatment. The appointment is done under thorough local anesthetic and most patients describe it as no worse than having a filling, with the important difference that they arrive in pain and leave without it.
Signs you might need one
Lingering sensitivity to hot or cold that continues after the source is gone, pain when biting, a tooth that has darkened, a persistent pimple on the gum, or swelling in the face. Some infected teeth stop hurting entirely, which is not recovery. It usually means the nerve has died, and the infection carries on quietly underneath.
Why saving the tooth is usually worth it
An extraction is quicker and cheaper on the day, and sometimes it genuinely is the right answer. But a natural tooth root maintains the bone in your jaw and keeps the neighboring teeth from drifting, and replacing a tooth properly afterwards costs considerably more than treating it. We will lay both paths out honestly, including what each one costs you over time.
Rebuilding the tooth afterwards
A tooth that has had a root canal becomes more brittle and usually needs a crown to protect it from fracturing. That part is done here, and it is where the aesthetic work matters: on a front tooth, the shade and translucency have to match its neighbors exactly.
Root canal treatment in Plymouth
If a tooth is throbbing, keeping you awake, or reacting badly to hot and cold, do not wait it out. Call us and we will get you seen, work out what is happening, and get the pain dealt with.
Why patients stay
Dentistry, done differently.
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Gentle, even for the anxious
We hold your hand through it, literally if you want. No judgment, no rush.
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Caring for Plymouth families for decades
Three owners, one standard of care, and over 25 years in Dr. deFuentes Cutter's hands.
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A person, not a call center
Call and you reach our front desk. We answer your questions ourselves.
Good questions
Questions patients often ask.
Do you perform root canals in your office?
The root canal procedure itself is currently carried out by an endodontic specialist we work with and trust, and we handle everything around it: diagnosing the problem, arranging the appointment, sharing records so nothing is repeated, and restoring the tooth with a crown or filling afterwards. You are not left to organize it yourself.
Does a root canal hurt?
Far less than its reputation suggests. The pain people associate with root canals is the infection, not the treatment. It is done under thorough local anesthetic, and most patients describe it as comparable to having a filling, with the difference that they arrive in pain and leave without it.
How do I know if I need one?
Common signs are sensitivity to hot or cold that lingers after the source is removed, pain when biting, a tooth that has darkened, a recurring pimple on the gum, or facial swelling. Worth knowing: some infected teeth stop hurting entirely, which is not recovery. It usually means the nerve has died and the infection continues quietly.
Should I just have the tooth pulled instead?
Sometimes extraction genuinely is the right answer and we will say so. But a natural tooth root preserves the bone in your jaw and stops the neighboring teeth drifting, and replacing a tooth properly afterwards costs considerably more than treating it. We will lay both paths out, including the long-term cost of each.
Will the tooth need a crown afterwards?
Usually yes, particularly on back teeth. A tooth that has had a root canal becomes more brittle and a crown protects it from fracturing. That part is done here, and on a front tooth the shade and translucency are matched carefully to the teeth beside it.
Ready when you are
We're easier to call than you think.
Tell us what's worrying you. We'll take it from there. No scripts, no rush.