Precise, research-informed, technology-driven care built for long-term results.
When decay or injury allows bacteria to reach the soft tissue (pulp) inside a tooth, infection and pain can follow. Root canal therapy removes the infected tissue, cleans and disinfects the canal system, and seals the tooth so it can function normally again.
Occasionally a tooth that has already had a root canal doesn't heal properly, or new decay or infection develops around it. Retreatment carefully reopens the tooth, removes the prior filling material, and recleans and reseals the canal system to give the tooth another chance to heal.
When infection persists at the very tip of a tooth's root even after root canal treatment, a microsurgical procedure called an apicoectomy may be needed. Dr. Cross uses a surgical microscope to remove the infected root tip and surrounding tissue, then seals the root to prevent reinfection.
When a tooth is knocked out or displaced in an accident, quick reimplantation gives it the best chance of survival — the tooth is carefully repositioned in its socket and splinted to neighboring teeth while the supporting ligament heals. When a fracture or decay extends below the gumline instead, orthodontic extrusion can gently draw the remaining healthy tooth structure upward over several weeks, exposing enough sound tooth to support a lasting restoration without an extraction.
A tooth that has had root canal treatment can sometimes darken over time as blood byproducts and old filling materials discolor it from the inside — a change that regular whitening on the outside of the tooth can't fix. Internal bleaching places a whitening agent inside the tooth's pulp chamber, gradually lightening it back toward a natural, matching shade.
Molars have more than one root, and occasionally just one of them fails from a fracture, bone loss, or infection that won't resolve while the others stay perfectly healthy. Rather than remove the whole tooth, root amputation removes only the failing root, and hemisection divides a tooth so the compromised portion can be taken out, leaving the sound part of the tooth in function.
When decay or a small fracture comes close to the nerve but the pulp is still healthy, a full root canal isn't always necessary. Vital pulp therapy — whether pulp capping or a partial pulpotomy — protects and preserves the healthy pulp with a biocompatible material, allowing the tooth to keep its natural nerve and continue developing normally.
Cracks can range from tiny surface lines to fractures that reach the pulp, and often cause sharp pain when chewing or releasing a bite. Using CBCT imaging, magnification, and transillumination, Dr. Cross identifies the extent of the crack and determines whether the tooth can be saved with root canal therapy or requires other treatment.
A knocked-out, chipped, or badly injured tooth needs fast attention to have the best chance of being saved. We reserve same-week emergency appointments for sudden pain, swelling, or dental trauma so you're seen quickly by a specialist rather than waiting.
Dr. Cross will review your X-rays and other findings, explain your options clearly, and work with you to decide what's best for your tooth.