Smyle Dental – Dr. David Zaghi / Root Canal
A root canal saves a tooth that would otherwise have to come out. Around 25 million are carried out every year, and the reputation the procedure still carries has not kept up with how it is actually done. At Smyle Dental Newhall it is done under effective local anaesthetic, and the aim throughout is to keep your own tooth in your mouth.
What we treat
The nerve inside a tooth has become infected, and that infection is what is causing the pain. The treatment clears the inside of the tooth, disinfects the canals and seals them. The tooth stays in your jaw and carries on working. It is the treatment that ends the pain rather than the cause of it.
The reputation comes from how these were done decades ago. With current anaesthetic and instruments, most patients at our Newhall office report the appointment felt much like having a filling, and the relief starts as soon as the pressure inside the tooth is released.
Rotary instruments and digital imaging let us follow the canals accurately, including the curved ones that used to cause trouble. Better shaping and better sealing is what makes the difference to how long the treated tooth lasts.
A treated tooth has lost its blood supply and becomes more brittle over time. A crown caps it and takes the load of chewing. Skipping this step is the most common reason a root-treated tooth later fractures.
Nothing replaces a natural tooth as well as keeping it. Take it out and you are choosing between a gap, a bridge that involves the neighbouring teeth, or an implant. Where the tooth can be saved, saving it is almost always the better call.
Severe throbbing, pain that wakes you, swelling at the gum. Call (661) 255-9200 and we will get you seen. Starting treatment on the day is what stops the infection spreading further into the jaw.
Proper aftercare is what decides whether a root canal holds for decades or causes trouble again. Smyle Dental Newhall gives you written post-procedure instructions rather than a verbal summary you have to remember on the way home.
Antibiotics are prescribed where needed to clear any remaining infection, and we set out what to eat, what to avoid, and what level of discomfort is normal in the days afterwards so you are not left guessing whether something has gone wrong.
We also book the follow-up before you leave. The tooth is checked once it has settled, and the permanent crown is fitted when the tooth is ready for it rather than to a fixed schedule.
Why people stay
First visits are booked longer on purpose so nothing is rushed, and we stop the moment you raise a hand. Most new patients tell us they have put this off for years.
Images, options and the cost in writing first. The least invasive option that actually solves the problem is the one we recommend.
Santa Clarita and Bakersfield run to the same standard with Dr. Zaghi at both. Book whichever is closer, or move between them.
The average dentist in Bakersfield sits at 4.3 stars across a handful of reviews. This practice holds 4.9 across 932 reviews, 822 in Bakersfield and 110 in Santa Clarita.
You may be able to use your own dental insurance if you have a policy that allows you to choose your own dentist. If this is the case, we are happy to file your insurance claims for you so that you can be reimbursed by your insurance company.
Both offices hold time open each day for pain, swelling and breakages, because those never arrive on a convenient schedule.
Reviews
I was scared but they were kind and I felt safe. I will recommend them! They were great! Thank you.
Liana ClarkSanta Clarita, Google review
No, and the reputation is decades out of date. The tooth is fully numbed and most patients say it felt like a longer filling. What people actually remember is the toothache beforehand, which the treatment is what ends.
Because a natural tooth in your jaw beats anything we can put in its place. Extraction leaves you choosing between a gap, a bridge that involves cutting the teeth either side, or an implant. Saving it is usually simpler and cheaper overall.
The usual signs are lingering pain after something hot or cold, pain when biting, a tooth that has darkened, or a small bump on the gum beside it. Pain that wakes you at night is the one worth calling Newhall about promptly.
On back teeth, almost always, because they take the force of chewing and a treated tooth grows brittle. Some front teeth manage with a filling. We will tell you which applies to your tooth before starting.
If your policy lets you pick your own dentist, you can almost certainly use it at our Newhall office, and we will file the claim for you so your insurer reimburses you directly. Root canal treatment is classed as necessary rather than cosmetic, so it is generally covered.
First appointments in Newhall are deliberately booked long so nothing gets rushed, and everything stops the second you lift a hand. Plenty of the people who walk in here have avoided a dentist for years. You will not be lectured about it.
New patient offer
A comprehensive exam and a full set of x-rays, so you and Dr. Zaghi are looking at the same picture before anyone decides anything. Available at both offices.
New patient exam
$99
Mention this offer when you book
Santa Clarita · Bakersfield
Please select the location more convenient for you and schedule your visit
We answer during office hours, Monday to Friday. If you are in pain today, call the office nearest you.