General
Save a tooth that would otherwise need extraction — single visit, no pain.
A root canal saves a tooth where the inner pulp is infected — usually from deep decay, fracture, or trauma. The infection causes pain and, untreated, leads to abscess and tooth loss. The procedure removes the pulp, disinfects the canal system, and seals it with gutta-percha. The tooth then receives a crown for full strength.
At Dental Inzunza, Dr. Isabel Romero specializes in endodontics. We use rotary nickel-titanium files, apex locators, and surgical microscopes — the same technology used in US endodontic specialty offices. The procedure takes 60–90 minutes and is done under local anesthesia. Most patients say it\'s less uncomfortable than a deep filling.
Per-tooth pricing: $195 anterior tooth · $245 premolar · $295 molar (3 canals). Crown after root canal: $250–$450. US average for root canal alone: $1,000–$1,800.
Rotary NiTi instrumentation (Dentsply ProTaper Gold). Sodium hypochlorite + EDTA irrigation. Gutta-percha + AH Plus sealer. Surgical microscope with 8–25× magnification.
No. Local anesthesia eliminates pain during the procedure. The painful part is usually the infection beforehand — the root canal relieves it.
Most cases are single-visit (60–90 min). Re-treatments or severe infections sometimes require two visits a week apart.
For molars and premolars, yes — the tooth is structurally weakened and a crown protects it. Anterior teeth sometimes only need a filling.
Properly performed root canal + crown lasts indefinitely (decades). The most common reason for re-treatment is a poor crown allowing leakage — not the root canal itself.
1 year on the root canal procedure. 5 years on the crown placed afterward.