Advanced General & Restorative Dentistry
Root Canal Therapy
Root canal therapy treats the inside of a tooth when the pulp, the soft tissue in its canals, is inflamed or infected. The canals are cleaned, shaped and sealed, so that the tooth can be kept rather than removed.
Afterwards the tooth often needs a crown to protect it.
Signs to mention
Tell us if pain lingers after hot or cold, if it hurts to bite, if there is swelling near a tooth or if a tooth has darkened. Only an examination, usually with an X-ray, shows whether the pulp is affected.
How treatment usually unfolds
Examination
We examine the tooth and take an X-ray to see whether the pulp is affected and whether the tooth can be kept.
Cleaning the canals
With the tooth numbed, the inflamed or infected pulp is removed and the canals are cleaned and shaped.
Sealing
The canals are filled and sealed, and the tooth is closed.
Protecting the tooth
We tell you whether the tooth now needs a crown to protect it, and how to care for it in the meantime.
Related treatments
Questions patients ask
Is root canal therapy painful?
The tooth is numbed before treatment. Tell us how you are feeling as we work; if you need a pause, we stop for a moment.
Will the tooth need a crown afterwards?
Often, because a treated tooth can be more fragile, especially at the back of the mouth. We tell you after treatment whether yours needs one.
Talk with us about your options
Book a consultation, or call us and we will find a time that suits you.