Root Canal Treatment: Saving Your Natural Tooth

Root canal treatment has a fearsome reputation it no longer deserves. Done well, it is a routine, largely painless way to save a natural tooth that would otherwise be lost. Here is what it involves.

What root canal treatment is

Inside each tooth is a soft pulp containing the nerve and blood vessels. If decay, a crack or injury lets bacteria reach the pulp, it becomes inflamed or infected, causing pain and, eventually, an abscess. Root canal treatment removes the infected pulp, cleans and disinfects the canals, and seals them — saving the tooth rather than extracting it.

Why saving the tooth matters

Keeping a natural tooth is usually preferable to removing it and replacing it with an implant or bridge. Your own tooth maintains the bone and bite naturally. We only recommend extraction when a tooth genuinely cannot be saved.

Is it painful?

Modern root canal treatment is carried out under local anaesthetic, so it is generally no more uncomfortable than having a filling. Much of the pain people associate with it actually comes from the infection beforehand — which the treatment relieves.

Step by step

1. Diagnosis

We confirm the problem with an examination and X-rays.

2. Cleaning the canals

Under anaesthetic, the pulp is removed and the canals are cleaned, shaped and disinfected.

3. Sealing

The canals are filled and sealed to prevent re-infection.

4. Restoring the tooth

A root-treated tooth becomes more brittle, so it usually needs a crown to protect it and restore full function — especially a back tooth. This is designed and fitted by our specialist prosthodontist, Dr Sadık Taki (Ministry of Health specialty registration 61875).

Recovery

Mild tenderness for a few days is normal and settles with simple pain relief. The tooth then functions like any other. Good brushing, cleaning between the teeth and regular check-ups keep it healthy.

Risks and success

Root canal treatment has a high success rate. Occasionally a tooth does not heal as hoped and needs re-treatment or, rarely, extraction. A well-restored root-treated tooth can last for many years.

This article is general information and does not replace an individual clinical assessment. For the cost of root canal treatment and any crown that may be needed, see our prices page or contact Taki Dent.