Root Canal Treatment (Endodontics)

Treatment to save a tooth whose inner pulp has become inflamed or infected, often due to deep decay or trauma. The dentist removes the diseased tissue, cleans and shapes the canals and seals them with warm (liquid) gutta-percha. Implantclinic prices by the number of canals and offers treatment under magnification for accuracy, after which the tooth is usually rebuilt with a filling or crown.

Root-canal (endodontic) treatment addresses the soft tissue inside a tooth — the pulp — when it becomes irreversibly inflamed or infected, which can cause severe toothache, sensitivity or an abscess. Rather than extracting the tooth, the dentist removes the damaged pulp, disinfects and shapes the fine canals inside the roots, and fills them to seal the space and prevent reinfection, allowing a natural tooth to be kept. At Implantclinic canals are sealed using thermoplastic, warm gutta-percha, a technique that adapts well to the three-dimensional shape of the canal system for a thorough seal. Treatment is carried out under local anaesthetic and priced according to how many canals a tooth has, from a single-canal front tooth to a four-canal molar; re-treatment of a tooth that was root-filled previously but has developed problems is more involved and priced accordingly. For demanding cases the clinic can work under magnification, which helps locate and clean canals precisely, and complex anatomy may carry an additional fee. Because a root-treated tooth is more brittle, it is usually restored afterwards with a substantial filling, a fibreglass post-and-core where much structure is lost, or a crown to protect it from fracture. Root-canal treatment is suited to teeth that are restorable but have damaged or infected pulp; the dentist assesses the tooth, often with a radiograph or CBCT, and explains the likely number of visits and the recommended final restoration.