Root canal treatment
When decay reaches the pulp, the pain can be severe and tends to worsen at night. Root canal treatment removes the inflamed tissue, disinfects and fills the canals, and stops the process — while the tooth stays in your jaw. It is done under anaesthetic and does not hurt.
- Rotary canal preparation
- Carried out under local anaesthetic
- Follow-up scan after filling
- A crown to protect the treated tooth
When it is needed
Most often when decay reaches the pulp, but also after a hard blow to a tooth, or in a tooth that has carried a large filling for years. The signs are recognisable: throbbing pain, worse when lying down, radiating towards the ear or temple, temporarily eased by something cold.
Sometimes there is no pain at all — the pulp died quietly, and the infection is only found on a scan, as a dark shadow at the tip of the root.
What the tooth gains and loses
It gains the ability to stay in the jaw and keep carrying load, which preserves bone and holds the neighbouring teeth in place. It loses vitality — it no longer responds to hot and cold and becomes brittle over time, which is why we almost always recommend a build-up and a crown.
Frequently asked questions
Is root canal treatment painful?
The procedure itself is done under anaesthetic, so you do not feel it. What hurts is the condition beforehand — inflammation of the pulp. Afterwards the tooth can be tender to bite on for a few days, which settles on its own.
How many visits?
Usually one or two, depending on how many canals the tooth has and whether there is active infection at the root tip. With marked inflammation we sometimes place a medicament in the canal and complete the work at the next visit.
Why do I need a crown afterwards?
A tooth without a pulp no longer receives moisture from within and becomes brittle over time. Back teeth in particular fracture under chewing load, often below the gum line, at which point they cannot be saved. A crown prevents that.
Not sure what you need? You do not have to be.
Send us a photo and a few words. We will reply with an assessment, a treatment outline and an indicative quote — before you commit to anything.