Root Canal Treatment (Endodontics)

Root canal treatment removes infected or inflamed tissue from inside a tooth, cleans and shapes the canals and seals them, so a tooth that might otherwise be lost can be kept. MEDENT carries out endodontics with the support of a dental microscope and 3D CBCT imaging for precise location of the canals, and offers a composite rebuild afterwards to restore the tooth. It is performed under local anaesthetic for comfort.

Root canal treatment, or endodontics, is used when the soft tissue inside a tooth — the pulp, which contains nerves and blood vessels — becomes inflamed or infected through deep decay, a crack or trauma. Left untreated this can cause pain and abscesses and ultimately the loss of the tooth. During treatment the dentist removes the diseased pulp, carefully cleans and shapes the fine canals inside the roots, disinfects them and then seals them with a root filling, which preserves the natural tooth in the mouth. At MEDENT endodontic work is supported by a dental operating microscope, which magnifies and illuminates the canal system, and by 3D CBCT cone-beam imaging that helps map complex or curved canals before and during treatment — both associated with more predictable outcomes. Treatment is carried out under local anaesthetic and may be completed in one or more visits depending on the tooth and the level of infection; where appropriate the canals are first dressed with a medicament and sealed temporarily before final obturation. Because a root-treated tooth can become more brittle, the clinic offers a composite rebuild afterwards, and a crown is sometimes recommended for back teeth to protect them long-term. After treatment some tenderness for a few days is normal and usually settles with simple pain relief. Suitability, the likely number of visits and the best final restoration are discussed at consultation.