Kat N

December 4, 2019

I would like to thank the wonderful and accommodating staff at Fisher & Orfaly Dental. I was in need of a root canal..a dear friend of mine referred Dr. Orfaly. I am so happy I took her recommendation..He was excellant!!! Dr. Orfaly made my root canal experience so much better than I had ever expected. He thoroughly explained every step of the procedure to me and was incredibly thorough with his work. His bedside manner was so comforting..a " down to Earth" guy. His assistant, Mirela was lovely and comforting. The receptionist Kerrin helped immensely by looking into my insurance coverage for me ( and made me aware I still had unused coverage left..my last dental office told me I didnt..so i was very grateful for her extra help looking into it). I cannot express how satisfied and relieved I am to finally have a Denist I can count on for my family and myself. Thank you Dr. Orfaly for all you and your staff did for me...and on such short notice...I have never had a Doctor check up on me after my procedure via text...Dr. Orfaly did...He went the extra step..Thank you so much Dr. Orfaly and his very accommodating staff.. Katherine Nolan

Jillian Pelletier

April 12, 2019

I have been going to Dr. Orfaly since I’ve had teeth! My entire family sees him. He and his team are not only amazing at their practice, but wonderful people as well. I had a root canal done by Dr. Orfaly; the procedure went beautifully and I had not an ounce of pain the next day! I look forward to my cleanings with Amy and all my appointments with them because they are, without a doubt, the best dental team you can find. They remember every name, every face, and care about each and every person that walks through their door.

David Lieb

November 20, 2018

I have been a patient of Dr. Fisher and now Dr. Orfaly for over 4 decades. The quality of dental care both preventative and corrective (crowns, root canal, fillings) have stood the test of time. Both Dr. Fisher and Orfaly have terrific chairside manner, answer detailed questions, check with you constantly through difficult procedures and follow-up as needed. The dental assistants and hygienists are professional and enjoy what they do, and also are able to answer detailed questions from everything from their new digital xray system to dental products and aids. Their new front desk coordinator Kerrin, welcomed me by name and had my new appointment scheduled quickly when checking out.

Robbie Liani

June 4, 2018

Great Dentist, always makes you feel comfortable and is very welcoming. I was recommended for an emergency root canal after my old dentist couldn't see me right away. Dr Orfaley took me right away and I have been a patient ever since, I've had many dentists over the years, and this practice is by far the best. All the staff here are simply amazing.

Phoebe Howe

December 15, 2017

Dr. Orfaly is the best! When I received a traumatic hit to the face 2 years ago, I was going to lose five of my teeth. Thankfully I had Dr. Orfaly to do my root canals, crowns, and overall dental work – now I can’t stop smiling!

About Root Canal

Root canal therapy & treatment is needed when the nerve of a tooth is affected by decay or infection. In order to save the tooth, the pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth), nerves, bacteria, and any decay are removed and the resulting space is filled with special, medicated, dental materials, which restore the tooth to its full function.
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Persistent pain in the tooth or tooth sensitivity, swollen gums, or infection around the tooth, tooth discoloration, or cracked tooth, are a few of the identified pain points of the patients having dental problems. Dr. George Orfaly, your trusted family dentist at Fisher & Orfaly Dental, Salem, MA, makes sure that the treatment occurs in favor of saving the natural tooth (by root canal treatment) instead of extracting the tooth.

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Our staff at Fisher & Orfaly Dental, Salem, MA, will guide you through each and every step. Having a root canal done on a tooth is the treatment of choice to save a tooth that otherwise would die and have to be removed. Many patients believe that removing a tooth that has problems is the solution, but what is not realized is that extracting (pulling) a tooth will ultimately be more costly and cause significant problems for adjacent teeth.
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Root canal treatment is highly successful and usually lasts a lifetime, although, on occasion, a tooth will have to be retreated due to new infections.

Information Capsule On Root Canal

Synopsis of the treatment

Root Canal treatment is intended to get rid of bacterial infection around the tooth and safeguard the natural tooth enlisting step by step procedure like anesthesia, removal of pulp, antibiotics, and temporary fillings.

Length of treatment

30- 60 minutes. In severe cases, it takes 90 minutes. This may require scheduled 1-2 appointments

Anesthesia

Novocaine or topical anesthesia.

Recovery

Couple of days to recover and rest. In a few cases, it may stretch beyond a week or a two.

Alternative name

Endodontic therapy or root canal therapy.

Signs & Symptoms For Possible Root Canal Therapy

The most common sign of an infected tooth is the formation of a cavity or severe pain while chewing. The other noticeable signs when a root canal is needed may include:

An abscess (or pimple) on the gums.
Sensitivity to hot and cold.
Severe toothache.
Sometimes no symptoms are present.
Swelling and/or tenderness.
Darkening of the tooth tissue
Chip or crack on the tooth

Cause Of Damaged Pulp

The bacteria occupy the infected tooth pulp and affect the innermost layer of the tooth. The bacteria enter through the faulty crown or crack on the tooth, thus damaging the complete area and the soft tissue of the tooth, where the blood vessels and connecting nerves are present. This may also lead to inflammation and tooth discoloration which is an alarming sign of getting the root canal.

What Does Root Canal Therapy at Fisher & Orfaly Dental Involve?

Under the guidance of Dr. Orfaly, trusted family dentist of Fisher & Orfaly Dental, Salem, MA, there will be a thorough evaluation and appropriate clinical diagnosis. A root canal procedure requires one or more appointments and can be performed by a dentist or endodontist (a root canal specialist).

Step 1: Local Anesthesia: The dentist will insert a numbing medication on your gum close to the affected tooth. Once the area goes numb, a local sedative will be infused into your gums. You'll stay conscious during the process, however, the sedative will hold you back from feeling any agony.
Step 2: Removal of the Damaged Pulp: While the tooth is numb, an access opening is made on top of the tooth and a series of root canal files are placed into the opening, one at a time, removing the pulp, nerve tissue, and bacteria. If tooth decay is present, it will also be removed with special dental instruments.
Step 3: Temporary filling or adding a crown: Once the tooth is thoroughly cleaned, it will be sealed with either a permanent filling or, if additional appointments are needed, a temporary filling will be placed. You may also receive a prescription for oral anti-infection agents (antibiotics).

Follow-up Appointments For Tooth Filling

At the next appointment, usually, a week later, the roots and the inside cavity of the tooth will be filled and sealed with special dental materials. A filling will be placed to cover the opening on top of the tooth. In addition, most teeth that have root canal treatment should have a crown (cap) placed. This will protect the tooth and prevent it from breaking, and restore it to its full function.
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Good oral hygiene practices and regular dental visits will aid in the life of your root canal treatment.