Root Canal Therapy — Stop the Pain, Save Your Tooth
Modern root canals are nothing like their reputation. With advanced digital imaging and gentle anaesthesia, MiNa Family Dentistry in Thornhill relieves your pain, clears the infection, and saves your natural tooth — often in a single appointment.
5-Star Rated
on Google Reviews
In pain right now? We offer same-day emergency root canal appointments.
What Is Root Canal Therapy?
Inside every tooth is a soft tissue called the dental pulp — containing nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue. When bacteria penetrate the pulp through a deep cavity, crack, or dental injury, an infection develops that cannot resolve on its own.
Root canal therapy (also called endodontic therapy) removes the infected pulp, carefully cleans and disinfects the canals inside the root, then seals the tooth and restores it with a crown. The result: the infection is gone, the pain is gone, and your natural tooth remains — healthy and functional.
A root canal-treated tooth can last a lifetime with proper care and a protective crown. The Canadian Dental Association recommends root canal therapy as the first-line treatment for infected teeth — always preferable to extraction when the tooth can be saved.
Signs You May Need a Root Canal
Pulp infections worsen quickly and — if ignored — can spread to the surrounding bone and adjacent teeth. If you recognise any of these signs, call us today. Early diagnosis means simpler treatment and a far better outcome.
Important: Some pulp infections cause no pain at all until an abscess forms. Regular check-ups and X-rays catch these silently progressing cases before they become emergencies.
Warning Signs to Watch For
- Severe, throbbing, or persistent toothache — especially at night
- Lingering sensitivity to hot or cold after the source is removed
- Sharp pain when biting or chewing on one side
- A tooth that looks darker or greyer compared with neighbours
- Swollen, tender, or puffy gums around a specific tooth
- A pimple-like bump on the gum that may drain fluid (abscess)
- Jaw pain or swollen lymph nodes near a troubled tooth
- A tooth that was injured or knocked loose — even if pain has faded
What to Expect — Step by Step
We walk every patient through exactly what will happen before we start. No surprises, no rushing — just clear communication and gentle, precise care.
Exam & Digital X-Ray
We take digital X-rays and conduct a thorough clinical exam to map the root canal anatomy and confirm the extent of pulp damage — giving us a precise treatment plan before we begin.
Complete Comfort First
Local anaesthesia is administered so you feel nothing during the procedure. We take the time needed to ensure you are completely comfortable before we start — no rushing.
Cleaning & Shaping the Canals
A small opening is made in the tooth. Infected or inflamed pulp tissue is carefully removed, and the canals are cleaned, shaped, and disinfected with antimicrobial solutions.
Sealing & Permanent Restoration
The cleaned canals are filled with a biocompatible material (gutta-percha) and sealed. In most cases a crown is then placed to protect the tooth and restore full biting strength.
Questions about what to expect? Call us or book a consultation — we're happy to answer everything before you commit.
Root Canal vs. Extraction
When a tooth is infected, you have a choice. In most cases, saving your natural tooth is the better long-term decision — clinically and financially.
Root Canal + Crown ✓ Recommended
- Keep your natural tooth for life
- Restore full chewing function immediately
- No bone loss at the extraction site
- No impact on adjacent teeth
- Often covered (at least partially) by insurance
- Completed in 1–2 appointments
Extraction + Implant / Bridge
- Permanent loss of natural tooth
- Bone loss begins within weeks without replacement
- Adjacent teeth may drift or shift over time
- Implant/bridge needed — multiple visits over months
- Total cost can be significantly higher long-term
- May affect bite alignment and jaw health
When a tooth truly cannot be saved, we offer dental implants as the gold-standard replacement — placed by our in-house specialist Dr. Adibrad.
“Do Root Canals Hurt?” — The Truth
The short answer: no — not with modern anaesthesia and technique. The painful reputation comes from an era before effective local anaesthesia. Today, a well-administered root canal is comparable to having a filling.
What you do feel is the relief as the source of your toothache — the infected pulp — is removed. Most patients describe the procedure as surprisingly comfortable. Any mild soreness the day after is easily managed with ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
- Full local anaesthesia — we wait until you're completely numb
- Gentle technique and modern rotary instruments reduce procedure time
- Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) available for anxious patients
- Post-procedure soreness typically resolves within 48 hours
- Same-day pain relief — the infection causing your toothache is gone
Dr. Neda Kadivar
General & Restorative Dentist, 20+ Years Experience
“Root canals have an unfair reputation. My goal is always to make the procedure as comfortable as possible — so patients leave relieved, not anxious. Saving your natural tooth is always my first priority.”
Read Dr. Kadivar's Full BioGentle, Experienced Root Canal Care
Dr. Kadivar brings over 20 years of restorative and general dental experience to every root canal at MiNa Family Dentistry. Her calm, patient approach — combined with advanced digital imaging and precise technique — means even the most anxious patients leave feeling cared for and comfortable.
- RCDSO-registered general and restorative dentist
- 20+ years performing root canal therapy in Thornhill
- Digital X-rays for precise diagnosis before treatment
- Comfortable local anaesthesia — we don't start until you're ready
- Same-day emergency endodontic care available
- Crown placement coordinated at the same clinic — no referral required
Root Canal FAQs
Answers to the questions we hear most often — including cost, pain, insurance, and what to expect after treatment.
Have a question not answered here? Contact our team or call us directly.
Book Your Root Canal Consultation in Thornhill
Tooth pain, lingering sensitivity, or swelling? The sooner you call, the simpler the treatment. MiNa Family Dentistry offers same-day emergency appointments and gentle, modern root canal therapy to relieve your pain and save your natural tooth.
7191 Yonge St Unit 205, Thornhill, ON L3T 0C4· Same-day emergency care available