Endodontics (Root Canal)
Dr. Kelly Clarke has the experience and credentials you should look for when considering a new dentist for your root canal treatment.
Dedicated to life-long learning, Dr. Clarke has averaged 60 continuing education credit hours (per licensing period) throughout his career; the minimum requirements for the state of Florida are 20 continuing education credit hours per licensing period!
Best dentist office I’ve been to! Everyone is so friendly and caring. I’ve been going to this office for years and I’m not going anywhere else!
Dr. Kelly Clarke, with a high-tech dentistry office located in Bradenton, has been practicing dentistry and performing root canal therapy since 2004.
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Root Canal Therapy
Decay is one of the most common affections of oral health, so treating them is a top priority for dentists. Most patients will only need a filling to restore the tooth’s beauty and function. However, in some unfortunate cases, a filling is not enough, like severe fractures or extensive decay. In these cases, our team at Laser dentistry will have no choice but to perform root canal therapy or “endodontic treatment”. Root canal therapy is the final attempt of a dentist to save a tooth before considering its extraction.
Root canal therapy, colloquially known as a root canal, is a conservative procedure for eliminating infection within a tooth. For this purpose, the dentist needs to gain access to the inner canals of the tooth (the root canals) using the drill. Inside these canals, we can find the dental pulp, the soft tissue that keeps the tooth alive. The pulp is the tissue that gets infected and sore, so to eliminate the infection and ease the pain, the dentist needs to remove this tissue carefully with a manual file. Once the pulp is entirely removed, the dentist cleans the canals making sure there’s no bacteria or dead tissue left inside the tooth. After that, he uses gutta-percha, a biocompatible material, to fill and seal the canals.
Illustration showing an example of a root canal procedure.
In most cases, patients may need to have a porcelain crown placed over the treated tooth. After root canal therapy, teeth end up weaker than usual, so the dental crown provides extra protection against fracture of the tooth. This restoration strengthens the tooth and avoids any inconvenience related to normal biting pressures.
Am I a good fit for root canal therapy?
Those who have suffered from extensive decay or severe dental trauma can be considered appropriate candidates for root canal therapy. But the only way of being 100% that the treatment is required is by making an appointment with our dentists. If root canal therapy is not possible, the dentist will extract the tooth and talk about tooth replacement options.
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Does root canal therapy hurt?
The answer is no. At Laser dentistry, we care about our patients. Dr. Clarke uses a local anesthetic to numb the tooth and the area before the procedure begins, so you won’t feel any discomfort. The numbing is also effective in easing the pain from your prior dental trauma or infection.
It’s no secret that all patients want to keep their natural teeth. Root canal treatment is an excellent way to avoid extraction and preserve your smile, and you will be pleased to learn how simple the procedure is.
Is there an alternative treatment to root canal therapy?
The only treatment alternative to root canal therapy is the permanent extraction of the affected tooth. However, although this option might sound more straightforward, it has a negative impact on the smile’s health.
Through root canal therapy, patients can keep their natural teeth and avoid the need for costly replacement alternatives such as dentures, dental bridges, and dental implants.
Parts of the Tooth
Video 01:00 | Have you ever wondered what makes up a tooth? The two main parts of the tooth are the crown and the root. The crown is the white part of the tooth you can see while the root is unseen below the gumline. Learn more about the various parts of a tooth and how good oral health care as well as regular dental visits, can help to keep your smile healthy and beautiful.
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Featured Testimonial
“My last visit with Dr. Kelly went extremely well. Got the root canal finished without problem and the cap was replaced WITH MY ORIGINAL. He was able to save it and I really appreciate the kindness, as it saved me a lot of money. Thank you, Dr. Kelly. All of the staff do their best to be helpful and are very considerate of patient’s needs. It is a pleasure to be a patient there. I will heartily recommend Dr. Kelly any day!”
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Before & After Photos
Patient Cases
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