Lincoln Park
939 W North Ave, Suite 890
Chicago, IL 60642
Specialty
Root canal therapy
Endodontics focuses on saving natural teeth by treating the pulp and tissues within, and root canal therapy succeeds in saving the tooth about 95% of the time. This specialized care removes infected or inflamed pulp, preserving the tooth from extraction.
How we approach root canal therapy
Why root canal treatment is not the painful part
Root canal treatment carries a reputation it stopped deserving some time ago. The pain people associate with it is the pain of the infection that sends them in, and the treatment is what removes it. With modern imaging, better anesthetic, and a dentist who does these all day, most patients describe the appointment as closer to a long filling than to anything they were dreading, and they leave with the tooth still in place.
What happens during the appointment, and the crown afterwards
The procedure itself is more mechanical than dramatic. The tooth is numbed and isolated behind a rubber dam, the infected pulp is removed, and the canals inside the root are cleaned, shaped, and sealed. Back teeth then need a crown rather than a filling, because a tooth that has lost its pulp has also lost its blood supply and becomes more brittle than it looks; skipping that step is the most common reason a technically successful root canal fails a year or two later.
Who does root canals here, and which office
Dr. Jasveen Sethi is the dentist here with a clinical focus on endodontic treatment, and she has carried out more than 2,000 root canal treatments, including retreatments and cases that needed careful diagnosis before anything began. Cone-beam CT imaging is used when a canal is hard to read. She sees patients at the Lincoln Park office only, so Schaumburg patients make one trip into the city for the treatment and have the crown fitted back in Schaumburg afterwards, on shared records, with no referral to an outside practice.
Who it's a good fit for
- You have severe or lingering tooth pain, especially with hot, cold, or pressure
- Your dentist recommended a root canal and you want a clinician focused on endodontics
- You had a root canal before that didn't fully heal and may need retreatment
- You'd rather save the tooth than have it extracted if that's still possible
- You have deep decay, a crack, or trauma that reached the nerve
What to expect
- Diagnostic visit: exam, x-rays, and 3D scan when imaging changes the plan
- Written plan: root canal vs extraction vs watch-and-wait, with costs
- Treatment: usually one visit, sometimes two for complex or retreatment cases
- Crown visit with your general dentist to protect the treated tooth
- Healing check at 6–12 months to confirm bone recovery
Common questions
- Will the root canal hurt?
- The procedure itself is done under local anesthetic and is comparable to a routine filling for most patients. The pain you might be feeling beforehand, from the inflamed or infected pulp, is what the root canal relieves. Soreness for a day or two after is normal.
- Is a root canal better than just pulling the tooth?
- Almost always, yes. Keeping your natural tooth is the better long-term outcome whenever it's feasible. Implants are excellent when extraction is unavoidable, but they cost more, take months, and aren't quite the same as the tooth you were born with. We'll tell you honestly when extraction is actually the smarter call.
- What is a retreatment, and do I need one?
- A retreatment is a second root canal on a tooth where the original treatment didn't fully heal, sometimes years later. It usually involves removing the old filling material, re-cleaning the canals, and re-sealing them. Whether you need one depends on imaging and your symptoms; we'll review prior treatment carefully before recommending it.
- What is CBCT and when do you use it?
- CBCT (cone-beam computed tomography) is a 3D x-ray that shows the tooth's anatomy, surrounding bone, and any hidden anatomy that 2D x-rays miss. We use it for complex cases (extra canals, retreatments, suspected fractures, or unclear diagnostics), not for routine root canals.
- I'm at the Schaumburg office. Can I still get root canal care with you?
- Yes. Endodontic treatment is provided at our Lincoln Park, Chicago office; for Schaumburg patients we coordinate one visit to Lincoln Park for the root canal, then you return to Schaumburg for the final crown. Records are shared between the offices, so nothing needs repeating at the second visit.
- Does insurance cover root canal therapy?
- Most dental plans cover root canal therapy, typically at 50–80% after deductible. We verify benefits before treatment and provide a written estimate. Care Credit and Cherry financing are available for any balance.
- Is root canal therapy FSA or HSA eligible?
- Yes. Root canal therapy, including retreatments, CBCT imaging when needed, and the crown placed afterward, are all eligible expenses under FSA and HSA accounts.
- How long does a root canal appointment take?
- Most front-tooth root canals take 60–90 minutes; back-tooth (molar) root canals run 90–120 minutes because they have more canals to clean. Some cases are completed in one visit; complex cases or retreatments occasionally need two. We'll tell you what to expect for your specific tooth at the diagnostic visit.
Book a consultation
Available at our Lincoln Park office.