Preserve Damaged Teeth and Find Relief with Root Canal Therapy
As a comprehensive dental office in Rohnert Park, California, Sonoma Smiles recommends root canal treatment to save infected and damaged teeth. Painlessly administered by our partnering specialists, root canals save infected teeth from extraction, protecting your natural smile for years. Our specialists use modern technology and techniques to provide a more streamlined and comfortable experience. Please schedule an appointment today to save your natural tooth.

How do I know I need a root canal?
Naturally, antibiotics are the go-to solution for bacterial infections. Unfortunately, they aren’t always the solution for dental infection. Antibiotics circulate through your bloodstream, targeting infections throughout your body. Unfortunately, tooth infection causes your pulp chamber to die off, cutting off blood supply to the tooth. That said, antibiotics won’t penetrate the infected area within the tooth or reach the bacteria entrenched in the root canals or inside an abscess.
If the infection has reached the tooth’s pulp, only a root canal can save your tooth. During an endodontic treatment, the doctor removes the diseased pulp, sanitizes the root canals, and seals them to thwart future infections.
But how can you tell you need a root canal? Watch out for the following symptoms.
• Severe tooth pain, especially when biting down
• Tooth sensitivity to hot and cold stimuli
• Swollen or tender gums around the infected tooth
• Tooth discoloration (an infected tooth turns dark or brown)
• A small bump on the gums near the infected tooth
Visit a dentist immediately if you notice the above signs. Delaying treatment causes further damage, and a root canal may not be sufficient to save your tooth.
What can I expect during root canal treatment?
Root canal therapy is an intricate procedure, so choosing a dentist you can trust is crucial. Our team provides the latest pain management techniques to ensure a painless experience. We offer power anesthetics and sedation dentistry to ensure your root canal is nearly painless. We’ll only proceed with treatment once you are at ease.
Here’s what you can expect from your treatment.
• Tooth isolation: Before working on your tooth, we’ll isolate it with a rubber dam to prevent saliva contamination. Then, the dentist makes a small hole in your tooth, which we’ll use to access the pulp chamber.
• Cleaning your tooth: The dentist will remove the damaged/infected tissues and clean the root canals, leaving a healthy, infection-free surface.
• Sealing the tooth: The dentist will fill the hollowed tooth with a latex-like material called gutta-percha. This material replaces your pulp chamber and seals your tooth against future infections.
• Tooth restoration: The dentist will seal the access hole with a temporary filling before placing a dental crown to provide ultimate structural support. A root canal alleviates pain rather than causes it. Many patients report feeling much better after a root canal.
• Aftercare: Our dental team will give post-op instructions to ensure you recover seamlessly after your treatment. A root canal-treated tooth recovers fully after a few days.
In most cases, our specialists can complete your root canal in as few as two visits, although complicated cases may require additional visits. With proper care, a tooth treated with a root canal can last a lifetime.
Do you need root canal treatment?
The only way to determine whether a root canal is necessary is to talk to an experienced dentist. We invite you to schedule an appointment with Sonoma Smiles to discuss your specific needs—call (707) 868-0666 to start your treatment.
The Truth About Painless Root Canal Therapy
