Root Canal Treatment

When decay or trauma reaches the pulp at the centre of a tooth, the tissue becomes infected and the tooth is lost unless the canal is cleaned out. Root canal treatment removes the infected pulp, disinfects and shapes the canal system, then seals it so bacteria cannot recolonise.

How it's done

1. 01

   Diagnosis

   Radiographs and sensitivity testing confirm which tooth and how far the infection has spread.

2. 02

   Isolation

   A rubber dam isolates the tooth. Treatment without one has measurably worse outcomes.

3. 03

   Cleaning and shaping

   Rotary files clean the canal system, irrigated with disinfectant between passes.

4. 04

   Sealing

   The canal is filled with gutta-percha and sealer.

5. 05

   Restoration

   A root-treated tooth is brittle and normally needs a crown, sometimes over a fibre post.

Who it suits

A tooth with an infected or dying nerve that is otherwise structurally sound enough to keep.

Where it falls short

A heavily broken-down tooth may not be worth saving — an implant can be the better long-term answer, and an honest surgeon will raise that.

Recovery

Tenderness on biting for a few days. Painkillers are usually enough.