When a tooth becomes infected or abscessed, the goal is simple: relieve your pain and save the tooth whenever possible. At Kentfield Dental, in Marin County, Dr. Soroush Ghaffarpour ("Dr. G") performs root canal therapy with a conservative, comfort-first approach designed to help patients keep their natural teeth rather than lose them. Many of our Kentfield, Greenbrae, and Larkspur patients are surprised by how calm and straightforward the visit can feel with today's technology.
What is root canal therapy?
A root canal (the procedure dentists call endodontic treatment) is a way to save a tooth whose inner pulp — the soft tissue containing nerves and blood vessels — has become inflamed or infected. This can happen after a deep cavity, a crack, repeated dental work, or trauma to the tooth. Left untreated, that infection can lead to an abscess, swelling, and ongoing pain, and can eventually cost you the tooth.
During treatment, Dr. G gently removes the infected or damaged pulp, carefully cleans and disinfects the narrow canals inside the root, and then seals them to help keep bacteria out. The outer structure of your tooth stays in place. Because a treated tooth has had its inner tissue removed, it usually needs a crown afterward to protect it and restore full chewing strength — something we can often handle the same day in our Kentfield office. With proper care, a well-restored tooth can last for many years.
How we do root canals at Kentfield Dental
Kentfield Dental is a boutique, fee-for-service practice, which means your appointment is built around your comfort and your time rather than insurance quotas. Dr. G continues the 47-year legacy of founding dentist Dr. John Herschleb with an aesthetics-first, conservative philosophy — and for root canals, that translates into careful diagnosis, gentle technique, and restorations designed to look and feel like your own tooth.
The big difference is what we keep under one roof. Before treatment, our low-dose Vatech Green X12 CBCT scanner can produce a 3D view of the tooth and its roots, helping Dr. G plan precisely and catch details a flat x-ray might miss. Once the root canal is complete and the tooth needs a crown, our CEREC system lets us design, mill, and place a custom ceramic crown in a single visit — no putty molds, no temporary, and no second trip across Marin. For anxious patients, Dr. G (who also speaks Spanish) takes the time to explain each step and work to keep you numb and comfortable throughout.
- Vatech Green X12 CBCT — low-dose 3D cone-beam imaging for precise diagnosis and treatment planning
- CEREC same-day crowns — Primescan 2 scan, Primemill mill, and SpeedFire furnace to design, mill, and place a crown in one visit
- Digital intraoral scanning — comfortable digital scans instead of traditional putty molds
- MouthWatch intraoral cameras — so you can see exactly what we see inside the tooth
- Comfort-focused, conservative technique with thorough numbing and Spanish-speaking care available
Why patients choose us for this
Designed to relieve the pain
A root canal is designed to treat the source of a severe toothache or abscess, removing the infected tissue. Many patients feel meaningful relief soon after treatment.
Helps save your natural tooth
Keeping your own tooth is almost always preferable to extraction. A treated tooth can let you chew, speak, and smile normally and helps protect the alignment of the teeth around it.
Often crowned the same day
Because we have CEREC in our Kentfield office, the tooth can often be protected with a custom ceramic crown in the same visit — no temporary crown and no second appointment.
Precise, low-dose 3D planning
Our Vatech Green X12 CBCT can give Dr. G a detailed 3D view of the tooth's roots when needed, supporting accurate, conservative treatment with low radiation exposure.
Comfortable and modern
With careful numbing, gentle technique, and intraoral cameras that let you follow along, today's root canal can feel much closer to a routine filling than the procedure's old reputation suggests.
A long-term restoration
A tooth that's been treated and properly crowned can often function well for many years — frequently two to three decades — when cared for with good hygiene and regular checkups.
What to expect
Exam and 3D diagnosis
Dr. G evaluates the tooth and reviews imaging — including our low-dose CBCT scan when a 3D view will help — to confirm whether a root canal is the right approach and to plan it precisely.
Comfort first
We thoroughly numb the area and make sure you're settled before starting. Dr. G checks in throughout, and we take whatever time you need so the visit stays calm and comfortable.
Cleaning and sealing the canals
The infected or damaged pulp is gently removed, the inner canals are cleaned and disinfected, and the space is sealed to help keep bacteria from returning.
Same-day crown with CEREC
When the tooth needs a crown, we can often design, mill, and place a custom ceramic crown the same day using our in-house CEREC system — no temporary and no second trip to our Kentfield office.
Aftercare and follow-up
We send you home with clear, simple instructions and stay available for any questions. A treated and crowned tooth can serve you well for many years with routine care.
Your comfort matters. Root canal therapy is performed with thorough numbing and a gentle, comfort-focused approach, and the procedure itself is designed to relieve the pain of an infected tooth. Dr. G, who speaks Spanish, takes extra time with anxious patients and explains each step to help keep the visit calm.
Is a root canal right for you?
If you have a tooth that's seriously bothering you, the kindest thing you can do is have it looked at early — small problems are easier to treat and more likely to be saved. Dr. G will examine the tooth, take any needed imaging, and talk you through your options before anything is decided. A root canal isn't always the answer, and we'll only recommend it if it's genuinely the best way to protect your health and your smile. Marin patients are welcome to call our Kentfield office at (415) 456-5402 to be seen.
- You have a lingering or severe toothache, especially with hot or cold
- A tooth is sensitive to pressure or painful when you bite down
- You have swelling, a pimple-like bump on the gum, or other signs of an abscess
- A deep cavity, crack, or injury has reached the inner pulp of a tooth
- You'd rather try to save your natural tooth than have it extracted
Frequently asked questions
Modern root canals are far more comfortable than their reputation suggests. With thorough numbing and gentle technique, most patients say the visit feels similar to having a filling — and the procedure itself is designed to relieve the pain a badly infected tooth was causing.
Most root canals are completed in one or two visits. In our Kentfield office, we can often place the protective crown the same day using CEREC, which means fewer appointments for our Marin patients.
Yes, in many cases we can. Because we have CEREC technology in-house, Dr. G can often design, mill, and place a custom ceramic crown the same day, so you can leave with the tooth protected and no temporary.
An untreated infected tooth tends to get worse, not better. The infection can spread, form an abscess, cause swelling and pain, and may eventually lead to losing the tooth, so it's best to have it evaluated promptly.
In most cases, saving your natural tooth with a root canal is preferable to extraction. Keeping your own tooth helps you chew and speak normally and protects the surrounding teeth, though Dr. G will review every option with you before deciding.
A tooth that's been treated and properly crowned can often last many years, frequently two to three decades, with good oral hygiene and regular dental checkups. Restoring the tooth with a crown is an important part of that longevity.
Yes. At our Kentfield office, Dr. G takes a calm, comfort-focused approach, explains each step, and is happy to go at your pace. He also speaks Spanish, and our boutique Marin practice is built around making treatment as relaxed as possible.