Root canal treatment
Removes infected or inflamed pulp, cleans the canals, and seals the tooth so you can keep it.
Learn moreRoot canal specialists in Salt Lake City
Keep your natural tooth. We’ll make it comfortable.
Dr. Roger K. Warren and our team focus on one thing: saving teeth with minimally invasive root canal treatment and microsurgery. Every case is done under a surgical microscope, and treatment can often be finished in a single visit.
Endodontic specialist since 1988
Specialist member, AAE
IV and oral sedation available
Gentle, precise care
Smaller access, less tooth removed, and faster healing with microscope-guided treatment.
We work with your dentist
We send a full report of your treatment to your general dentist after every visit.
Your follow-up is included
A short healing check is part of your treatment, with no extra fee.
Treatments
Specialty care for painful or damaged teeth
Our practice is limited to endodontics, the care of the tooth’s inner pulp and roots. If your dentist referred you, or you think you need a root canal, we can help.
GentleWave® Procedure
Uses fluid and sound waves to clean deep inside the tooth while preserving more natural structure. Often done in one visit.
Learn moreRetreatment
A second chance for a tooth that had a root canal before but has not healed or has new problems.
Learn moreEndodontic microsurgery
An apicoectomy treats the tip of the root through a small opening in the gum when a root canal alone is not enough.
Learn moreCracked teeth
Pain when chewing or with hot and cold can mean a crack. Early diagnosis gives the best chance of saving the tooth.
Learn moreDental injuries
A knocked-out, loose or broken tooth needs fast care. Call us right away after an injury.
Learn moreWhat is a root canal?
The living center of your tooth needs care
Inside every tooth, under the white enamel and the hard dentin, is soft tissue called the pulp. It holds the nerve and blood vessels and runs down the roots through narrow root canals.
When the pulp becomes inflamed or infected, root canal treatment removes it, cleans the canals and seals them. Your tooth stays in place and keeps working, because the bone and gums around it keep it healthy.
Signs you may need treatment
- Pain when you chew or bite
- Sensitivity to hot or cold that lingers
- A pimple or swelling on the gum
- A chipped or cracked tooth
- A tooth that has darkened
- Tender, swollen gums near one tooth
Some teeth have no symptoms at all. Your dentist may find the problem on an x-ray.
How treatment works
Root canal treatment in four pictures
Inflamed or infected pulp
Deep decay, a crack or an injury lets bacteria reach the pulp. It swells, hurts, and can cause an infection at the root tip.
Gentle cleaning
With your tooth numb, Dr. Warren makes a small opening and uses the microscope and fine instruments to remove the pulp and disinfect every canal.
Filled and sealed
The clean canals are filled with a rubber-like material called gutta-percha, and a temporary filling closes the top.
Restored and healed
Your dentist places a crown or permanent filling. The bone around the root heals over the following months.
What to expect
Your visit, step by step
Exam and 3D imaging
We review your symptoms and, when needed, take a low-dose 3D scan to see the whole root.
A clear plan
Dr. Warren explains your options, the fee estimate and your comfort choices, including sedation.
Treatment
Every treatment is done under a surgical microscope, with local anesthetic and sedation if you choose it.
Back to your dentist
Your dentist places the final crown or filling. We check your healing at a free follow-up visit.
Why see an endodontist?
Root canals are all we do
2+extra years of training after dental school
<3%of dentists are endodontists
~25root canals a week for a typical endodontist, compared with about 2 for a general dentist
Figures from the American Association of Endodontists.
Technology
Better tools mean less guesswork and less radiation
We were the first endodontic practice in Utah to use cone beam 3D imaging, and Dr. Warren lectures on it nationally and internationally.
- 3DCBCT imaging
- Cone beam computed tomographyA small 3D view of the tooth and bone, using about the radiation of three regular dental x-rays.
- ⅒the radiation
- Digital x-raysAbout one-tenth the radiation of film, with images on screen right away.
- 100%of cases
- Surgical operating microscopeMagnification and light to find and clean every canal, and smaller openings in surgery for faster healing.
- 1visit, often
- GentleWave® ProcedureAdvanced fluid dynamics and sound waves reach spaces that files cannot.
Inside our office
A calm, modern place to get care
Patient reviews
What our patients say
★★★★★
I have known Dr. Warren for some years and have referred several of my patients to him. Over the past few weeks I realized I had developed an abscess in one of my teeth and as such asked Dr. Warren to perform my root canal. …
★★★★★
Dr Warren is the best, his staff is wonderful. Integrity matters to me and Dr Warren has it in spades!
★★★★★
Average rating from 7 Google reviews of Dr. Roger K. Warren, D.D.S.
Patient instructions
Care before and after your visit
The short version of the printed instructions we give you. Call us any time you are unsure.
Next step: call your general dentist right away to schedule your crown or permanent filling. Your tooth has a temporary filling, and without a permanent one it can break or decay.
- Tenderness, especially when biting, is normal and fades as the tissues heal. Full healing can take up to 6 months.
- Wait until the numbness wears off before eating.
- Your follow-up healing exam is included at no extra charge.
| Medicine | How much | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Ibuprofen (Advil) 200 mg | 1 to 4 tablets | Every 6 hours |
| Naproxen (Aleve) 220 mg | 1 to 2 tablets | Every 12 hours |
| Acetaminophen (Tylenol) 500 mg | 1 to 2 tablets | Every 6 hours |
Take one of these over-the-counter pain relievers as needed.
Call 801-278-3636 if pain is not controlled by these medicines or if swelling develops.
For the first 24 hours, don’t
- Rinse your mouth (first 12 hours)
- Exercise or smoke
- Eat crusty, hard or hot foods
- Lift your lip to look at the area
Do
- Ice the area: 20 minutes on, 10 off, for 1 to 2 hours
- Eat soft, cold foods like yogurt and pudding
- After 12 hours, rinse gently with warm salt water after meals and at bedtime
- Sleep with your head slightly raised the first night
Slight swelling, bruising and a little bleeding are normal. Avoid aspirin. Brush other teeth gently and do not brush or floss the surgery area until your stitches are removed.
Call 801-278-3636 for heavy bleeding, increasing swelling or fever.
Arrange a ride. An adult must drive you home and stay with you for a few hours.
- Nothing to eat or drink for 6 hours before your appointment.
- Keep taking your regular medicines unless your physician says otherwise. If you have diabetes, ask your physician about timing.
- If you have been told to take antibiotics before dental care, take them on the day of your visit.
- If you can safely take them, ibuprofen or naproxen the day before helps reduce swelling and pain afterward.
- Wear a short-sleeved shirt for the IV and blood pressure cuff.
A knocked-out permanent tooth is an emergency. The sooner it is put back, the better the chance of saving it.
- Pick the tooth up by the crown (the white part). Do not touch the root.
- If it is dirty, rinse it briefly with water. Do not scrub it.
- If you can, gently put it back in the socket and bite on gauze. If not, keep it in milk or against the inside of your cheek.
- Call us or see a dentist right away.
For a chipped, cracked or loosened tooth, rinse with warm water, use a cold compress for swelling, and call us.
Questions
Answers to common questions
Don’t see yours? Call 801-278-3636.
Does a root canal hurt?
Most patients are surprised by how comfortable it is. With local anesthetic, treatment feels much like getting a filling. The tooth may be tender for a few days afterward, and over-the-counter pain relievers usually control it.
How many visits will I need?
Many treatments are finished in one visit, especially with the GentleWave Procedure. Some teeth need a second visit. Dr. Warren will tell you what to expect at your exam.
Why not just pull the tooth?
Nothing works quite like your natural tooth. Saving it lets you chew normally and avoids the extra time, procedures and cost of replacing it with an implant or bridge.
Will I need a crown afterward?
Usually, yes. A treated tooth can be brittle, so your general dentist will place a crown or permanent filling to protect it. Please schedule that visit right away.
Can I drive or go back to work?
With local anesthetic only, most people go back to work or school the same day. If you have IV or oral sedation, you cannot drive for the rest of the day and an adult must take you home.
Are the x-rays safe?
Our digital x-rays use about one-tenth the radiation of film. A 3D cone beam scan uses about as much as three regular dental x-rays.
I’m nervous. What are my options?
Tell us. We offer oral sedation, IV sedation and nitrous oxide, and we will talk through your choices before treatment.
How does payment work?
Fees are due when treatment is complete. We will help file your insurance, and you save 3.5% when you pay in full with cash or check. Monthly financing is available through CareCredit. Your written estimate is good for 6 months. Payment options.
What if my pain isn’t coming from a tooth?
Pain from jaw muscles, sinuses, nerves or headaches can feel just like a toothache. Dr. Warren teaches this topic at the University of Utah, and finding the real source comes before any treatment. Learn more.
Why see a specialist?
Endodontists complete at least two more years of training after dental school and do only this kind of care. That experience matters most for curved, calcified or previously treated teeth.
Meet the doctor
Roger K. Warren, DDS
Dr. Warren grew up in Brigham City, Utah, and has practiced as an endodontic specialist in Salt Lake City since 1988. He is known for minimally invasive techniques, and his cases are used to teach endodontists around the world. He also teaches dental students at the University of Utah how to tell tooth pain from pain that only feels like it.
Read Dr. Warren’s biography · See his cases
- BA in Biology, University of Utah
- DDS, Northwestern University Dental School, Chicago
- General dentist in Salt Lake City
- Endodontic residency, Oregon Health Sciences University
- Opens his endodontic specialty practice in Salt Lake City
- Lectures at the University of Utah School of Dentistry on odontogenic and non-odontogenic pain, and nationally on endodontics and 3D imaging; specialist member of the American Association of Endodontists
For patients
Forms and billing
Save time at your first visit by filling out your forms at home.
- New patient registration and medical history
- Before and after treatment instructions
- Insurance and dental benefits
- Financial policy: save 3.5% when you pay with cash or check
- Pay your bill online
For referring dentists
A partner for your hardest cases
Calcified canals, MB2s, retreatments and surgery. We send a full report after every visit and return your patient to you for the final restoration.
Scan to see Dr. Warren’s minimally invasive case gallery, or call 801-278-3636 to refer a patient.