Treatments / General dentistry / Root canal treatment
Root canal treatment
Treatment of infection or inflammation inside a tooth, with the aim of retaining it where possible.
Could this treatment help you?
Root canal treatment deals with infection in the soft tissue inside a tooth — the usual cause of severe toothache. The infected tissue is removed, the canals inside the root are cleaned and sealed, and the tooth stays in your mouth doing its job.
The point of the treatment is to save the tooth. The alternative to a root canal is usually taking the tooth out, and a kept natural tooth almost always beats a gap or a replacement. Pearl Dental also accepts root canal referrals from other practices.
This may suit you if
A tooth is giving you lingering pain — especially to heat, or a throb that keeps you up at night — or a tooth has died or abscessed and you want to keep it rather than lose it. The tooth is assessed and x-rayed before any treatment is recommended.
What it will not do
Not every tooth can be saved — a tooth too broken-down or cracked to seal is identified at the assessment, not discovered halfway through. A small number of treated teeth can flare up or become re-infected later, and re-treatment or extraction is then discussed.
A root-treated back tooth is more brittle than a live one and usually needs a crown afterwards to protect it — that is part of the plan and its cost from the start, not a surprise at the end.
- The tooth is kept — no gap, no bridge, no implant needed
- Treats the infection causing the pain rather than masking it
- Assessed and priced in writing before treatment starts
- Step 1Assessment and x-rayThe tooth is tested and x-rayed to confirm the diagnosis and check the shape of the roots — and whether the tooth is savable at all.
- Step 2Settling the toothUnder local anaesthetic the infected tissue is removed. This is the stage that deals with the pain.
- Step 3Cleaning and sealingThe canals inside the root are shaped, disinfected and sealed so bacteria cannot re-enter. Depending on the tooth this happens over one or two visits.
- Step 4Restoring the toothThe tooth is rebuilt — back teeth usually with a crown to protect them — and reviewed to confirm the infection has cleared.
Afterwards
Some tenderness for a few days after each visit is normal and settles with ordinary painkillers — it is the infection leaving, not the treatment failing. Once restored, the tooth is brushed, flossed and checked like any other.
Questions patients usually ask.
Does root canal treatment hurt?
The treatment itself is done under local anaesthetic and for most patients feels much like a long filling. What hurts is the infection before treatment — the appointment is usually what ends the pain, not what causes it.
What happens if I just leave it?
Infection inside a tooth does not clear up on its own. It can settle for a while and return as an abscess, and a tooth that could have been saved can become one that has to come out. Being assessed early keeps more options open.
How much does it cost?
It depends on the tooth — front teeth have fewer canals than molars — and on the crown if one is needed afterwards. The complete cost, including the restoration, is confirmed in writing before treatment starts.
Do I need to see a specialist?
Most root canals are completed at the practice, which also accepts root canal referrals from other dentists. If your tooth needs care beyond what the practice offers, you are told at the assessment and referred appropriately.
Our friendly team are here to help you
Ask a question about this treatment and reception will reply during opening hours.
