Root Canal Treatment (Endodontics)

Root canal treatment saves a tooth whose nerve has become inflamed or infected, usually from deep decay, a crack or trauma. The dentist removes the diseased pulp, cleans and shapes the canals inside the roots, disinfects them and seals them, relieving pain and allowing the natural tooth to be kept rather than extracted. Pricing depends on the number of canals in the tooth, and complimentary computer-controlled anaesthesia keeps the procedure comfortable.

Endodontic (root canal) treatment is used when the soft tissue inside a tooth — the pulp, which contains the nerve and blood supply — becomes irreversibly inflamed or infected, typically because of deep decay, a leaking old filling, a crack or an injury. Left untreated this can cause severe pain and abscess formation and ultimately the loss of the tooth. The aim of root canal treatment is to remove the diseased pulp, thoroughly clean and disinfect the fine canal system inside the roots, and seal it, so the tooth can be retained and restored. At Kaja Dental the tooth is first numbed — complimentary computer-controlled anaesthesia is offered for a more comfortable, even injection — and isolated. The dentist removes the infected tissue, measures the length of each canal, shapes the canals with fine instruments and irrigates them to eliminate bacteria, before filling and sealing them. Because front teeth usually have a single canal while molars commonly have three or more, the complexity and price scale with the number of canals; a previously root-treated tooth that has flared up again can sometimes be saved by re-treatment (reendo), which involves removing the old filling material before re-cleaning. After the canals are sealed, the remaining tooth is often weakened and is best protected with a substantial restoration or, frequently, a crown to guard against fracture and restore full function. Mild tenderness for a few days afterwards is normal. The dentist will confirm whether the tooth is restorable and discuss the recommended final restoration as part of the plan.