What Is Root Canal Treatment?

Inside every tooth there is a soft core of nerve and blood vessels called the pulp. When decay, a crack or a heavy knock lets bacteria reach it, the pulp becomes inflamed and then dies. Root canal treatment is how we clear that infection out and keep the tooth instead of removing it.

How do you know you need one?

The classic sign is pain that lingers after something hot or cold, rather than disappearing straight away. Pressure when you bite, a tooth that has darkened, or a small swelling on the gum above it all point the same way. Some teeth give no warning at all and are found on an x-ray.

What happens during the treatment

The tooth is numbed and isolated, and an opening is made through the crown to reach the canals. Each canal is cleaned along its full length, shaped, disinfected and then sealed so bacteria cannot get back in. Most teeth are finished in one or two visits, depending on how many canals there are and how much infection we start with.

It is not the ordeal its reputation suggests. With modern anaesthetic and rotary instruments the appointment feels much like having a large filling done.

Why the tooth usually needs a crown afterwards

A root-treated tooth no longer has a blood supply, so it dries out and becomes brittle. Covering the cusps with a crown spreads the biting load and stops the tooth splitting — which is the single most common reason a successfully treated tooth is lost years later.

How long does it last?

A well-sealed, well-restored root canal routinely lasts decades. What shortens it is delay: the longer an infected tooth is left, the more bone is lost around the root and the harder the tooth is to save.

Frequently Asked Questions