General Dentistry
Root Canal Treatment
Considerably duller than its reputation, and it's the treatment that saves the tooth.
- Duration
- 60–90 minutes
- Visits
- 1–2
- Recovery
- Tender for a few days
What it is
More procedure than reputation.
When the pulp inside a tooth becomes infected, the pain is the pressure of that infection with nowhere to go. A root canal removes the pulp, cleans and shapes the narrow canals inside the root, then seals them. The tooth stays in your mouth and stops hurting.
What to expect
The visits, plainly.
- 1
A scan and a couple of tests to confirm it's the pulp and not something simpler.
- 2
Full anaesthetic — the tooth is numb before anything starts.
- 3
A small opening in the top of the tooth, then the canals are cleaned and shaped. This is the long, quiet middle of the appointment.
- 4
The canals are sealed and the opening filled. Complex cases get a temporary seal and a second visit.
- 5
A crown is usually recommended afterwards to stop the tooth cracking.
Questions
Asked about this one, most often.
Does it hurt?+
The infection hurts. The treatment is what stops it. With modern anaesthetic most people describe it as long rather than painful, and bring headphones.
Could I just have the tooth out?+
You can, and sometimes that's the right call. But a gap moves the teeth either side of it, and replacing the tooth later costs more than keeping it now. We'll lay out both.
Why do I need a crown afterwards?+
A treated tooth is hollowed out and more brittle. A crown holds it together so you don't lose it to a cracked cusp two years on.
Also in General Dentistry
Ready when you are — or happy to answer one more question first.
Appointments run 45 minutes minimum, and nothing gets booked beyond the one you're agreeing to.
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