Root canal treatment: why it is done and how it works

A root canal treatment is a way to save a tooth that would otherwise have to be removed. It cleans out the inside of the tooth when that part has become infected or badly inflamed.

What is inside a tooth?

Under the hard enamel and the layer beneath it is the pulp, a soft centre with nerves and blood vessels. It runs down through the root in narrow channels called canals. When decay or a crack lets bacteria reach the pulp, it becomes inflamed and can become infected.

When is a root canal needed?

Your dentist may advise it when:

• decay is deep and has reached the pulp
• a tooth has cracked or been hurt by a blow
• there is an infection at the tip of the root, sometimes with swelling

Typical signs are a lingering ache, pain on biting, a tooth that hurts to hot or cold and keeps hurting afterwards, or a gum bump. Sometimes there is no pain at all, and the problem is found on an X-ray. Only an examination can say whether you need one. See signs of a cavity.

What are the steps?

1. An X-ray shows the shape of the roots and the extent of the infection.
2. The tooth is numbed with a local anaesthetic.
3. The dentist makes a small opening and removes the infected pulp.
4. The canals are cleaned, shaped and disinfected.
5. The canals are filled and sealed, and the opening is closed with a filling.

Some teeth can be completed in one visit. Others need two or more, especially with infection or several roots. Your dentist will tell you what your tooth needs.

What is recovery like?

The tooth may feel tender for a few days, especially when biting. The pain before the treatment came from the infection, and the treatment removes the source of it. Your dentist may advise a pain reliever for the days afterwards. Ask what is suitable for you, particularly if you are pregnant or have another health condition.

Why a crown often follows

A tooth that has had a root canal has lost much of its structure and can crack under chewing force, especially a back tooth. Dentists often advise a crown to protect it. Read crowns after a root canal.

What is the alternative?

Removing the tooth. Keeping your own tooth is usually preferred where it can be saved, but if the tooth is too damaged, your dentist will explain the options.

Common worries

Many people are afraid of the treatment because of things they have heard. Root canal myths and facts answers the common ones.

Root canal treatment is available at both our clinics, in Sayan and on Chhaprabhatha-Variyav Road. Use the booking button below to ask for an appointment.