Root Canal Treatment (Endodontics)

Root canal (endodontic) treatment saves a tooth whose inner pulp has become inflamed or infected, often from deep decay or a crack, by cleaning out the canals, disinfecting them and sealing them. At Uśmiech it is carried out by a specialist in conservative dentistry with endodontics, with the in-house 3D scanner available for assessing difficult roots. Pricing is per canal, so a front tooth costs less than a multi-rooted molar. A crown is generally advised afterwards to protect the treated tooth.

Inside every tooth is a soft core — the pulp — containing nerves and blood vessels. When deep decay, repeated dental work or a crack lets bacteria reach the pulp, it can become inflamed or infected, causing pain, sensitivity or an abscess. Root canal treatment removes that damaged pulp, cleans and shapes the narrow canals inside the roots, disinfects them and fills them with a sealing material, allowing the tooth to be kept rather than extracted. Saving the natural tooth is generally preferable to losing it, as it preserves the bite and avoids the need to replace the tooth. At Uśmiech endodontic treatment is provided by Dr Hanna Czarniawska, a specialist in conservative dentistry with endodontics. After local anaesthetic the tooth is isolated and the canals are located, measured and gently cleaned with fine instruments and irrigating solutions; the clinic's 3D cone-beam scanner can help map unusual or curved root anatomy when needed. Simple cases may be completed in one visit, while infected teeth are often dressed with a medicament and sealed temporarily before being filled at a second appointment. Because the number of canals varies — incisors usually have one, premolars one or two and molars three or four — the cost is calculated per canal. A back tooth that has been root-treated is left more brittle, so the dentist will usually recommend a crown afterwards to protect it from fracture. Aftercare is straightforward, and any tenderness for a few days settles with normal pain relief.