Question 1

Does a root canal hurt?

Accepted Answer

The pain people associate with root canals is the reason for the treatment rather than the result of it. Inside every tooth is a chamber holding the nerve and its blood supply, enclosed in solid dentine with nowhere to swell into and no drainage. When bacteria reach that tissue it inflames, pressure builds inside a rigid space and presses on the nerve — that is the throbbing that keeps pace with your pulse and gets worse lying down. The tooth is numbed before anything starts, and removing the inflamed tissue is what releases the pressure. Most people find the appointment itself compares to having a filling done: longer, rather than different. One thing worth knowing is that a bad toothache which stops on its own has often not healed. It usually means the nerve has died and stopped signalling, while the infection carries on, so it is a reason to be seen sooner rather than a sign of recovery.

Question 2

How many appointments does it take?

Accepted Answer

One or two for the root canal itself, depending on the tooth and how much infection is present. A front tooth usually has a single canal. A molar has several, and they are narrow, curved and sometimes branched — cleaning all of them thoroughly is what takes the time. Where infection is heavy, a medicated dressing is sometimes left inside between visits. The crown is then a separate appointment once the tooth has settled. If the length of it is what worries you, say so when you book: sedation is available here, and a long restorative appointment is one of the more common reasons to use it.

Question 3

Why not just take the tooth out?

Accepted Answer

Sometimes that is the right call, and we will say so — if the tooth is fractured below the level of the bone, or too little structure remains to hold a crown, keeping it is not realistic and planning a replacement is the better plan. Where the tooth can be kept, though, keeping your own is usually preferable. A natural tooth is suspended in a ligament that senses how hard you are biting, and no replacement reproduces that. Removing a tooth also starts bone loss at that site, allows the neighboring teeth to drift and the opposing tooth to move down into the space, and replacing it later is a course of treatment in its own right. We will show you the X-ray and explain which of those two situations you are in, rather than asking you to take it on faith.

Question 4

Why does the tooth need a crown afterwards?

Accepted Answer

Two things about the tooth have changed. It has lost structure, between the original decay and the opening made to reach the canals, so what remains is closer to a shell than a tooth. And it has lost its blood supply, which is what kept the dentine inside it hydrated, so it becomes more brittle over the years that follow. A back tooth handles heavy force every day, and a brittle shell under that load eventually splits — a root-treated tooth that splits below the gumline usually cannot be saved. The crown holds it together and spreads the force across it. Of all the steps, it is the one that decides whether the root canal was worth doing.

Root Canal Therapy

Overview

What to Expect

Diagnosis

Treatment

Sealing & Restoration

Follow-Up

Benefits

Common Questions About Root Canal Therapy

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