Root Canal Treatment (Endodontics)

Root canal treatment to save a tooth whose inner pulp has become inflamed or infected, relieving pain and avoiding extraction. Using modern instruments and magnification, the dentist removes the diseased tissue, disinfects and shapes the canals, and seals them so the tooth can be rebuilt. Pricing depends on how many canals the tooth has, and the clinic also re-treats teeth where a previous root filling has failed.

Endodontic, or root canal, treatment becomes necessary when the soft tissue inside a tooth — the pulp, which contains the nerve and blood supply — is damaged by deep decay, a crack or trauma and becomes inflamed or infected. Left untreated this typically causes severe toothache and can lead to an abscess, so the alternative is usually losing the tooth. The aim of treatment is to remove the diseased pulp, thoroughly clean and disinfect the fine canals inside the roots, and seal them to prevent reinfection, allowing the natural tooth to be kept. At Family Dent the procedure is carried out with modern equipment and precision instruments under effective local anaesthesia, so it is comfortable and broadly comparable to having a filling in terms of experience. The number of canals varies by tooth — front teeth often have one, premolars one or two, and molars three or more — which is why the fee is set per canal. The canals are mechanically and chemically cleaned, then filled hermetically with a specialised material. Because a root-treated tooth has lost its internal blood supply it can become more brittle, so it is rebuilt with a core build-up — sometimes reinforced with a fibreglass post — and in most cases protected with a crown to restore strength and function; these restorative steps are quoted separately. The clinic also re-treats teeth where an earlier root filling has failed, which is more involved and priced accordingly. Computer-controlled anaesthesia and inhalation sedation are available for anxious patients.