Root canal treatment
A root canal has a worse reputation than it deserves. It is the procedure that stops the pain, not the one that causes it.
Inside every tooth is a soft core of nerve and blood vessels. When decay or a crack reaches it, that core gets infected, and because it sits sealed inside bone, the pressure has nowhere to go. That is the throbbing that keeps people awake.
The treatment clears out the infected tissue, disinfects the empty canals, and seals them. The tooth stays in your jaw and keeps doing its job. The alternative is taking it out and then paying more, later, to replace it.
Signs that usually point here
One of these on its own doesn't confirm anything. Two or three together usually means the nerve is involved, and an X-ray settles it.
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Pain that throbs, worsens when you lie down, or wakes you at night
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Hot or cold sensitivity that lingers well after the drink is gone
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A tooth that hurts sharply when you bite down on it
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Swelling in the gum near one tooth, or a small bump that keeps returning
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One tooth going grey or darker than the ones beside it
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Deep decay or a crack you can already see in the tooth
What actually happens
Four stages. Most cases finish in one sitting; badly infected teeth get a second appointment so the medication has time to work.
X-ray and diagnosis
The clinic has dental imaging on site, so the X-ray is taken and read in the same visit. It shows how far the infection has travelled and how many canals that tooth has, which is what the final cost depends on.
Consultation visitNumbing, then opening the tooth
Local anaesthetic goes in first, and nothing starts until the area is properly numb. You'll be asked to confirm it. A small opening is then made in the top of the tooth to reach the canals underneath.
10–15 minutesCleaning and shaping the canals
The infected tissue is removed and each canal is cleaned out and disinfected. This is the longest part of the appointment and the part that ends the pain. You feel pressure and vibration, not pain.
30–60 minutesSealing, then a crown
The empty canals are filled and sealed so bacteria can't get back in. A root-treated tooth becomes brittle, so a crown is fitted afterwards to stop it cracking. Skipping the crown is the most common reason these teeth fail later.
Same visit, or a second appointmentBefore and after
A case from the clinic, shared with the patient's written consent.
Root canal and zirconia crown, two visits. See more cases →
Does it hurt?
No, and this is worth saying plainly, because the fear stops people from coming in until the tooth is beyond saving.
The pain people associate with root canals is the pain of the infection, not the treatment. Once the anaesthetic is in, you feel pressure and vibration and nothing sharp. Patients here consistently describe the appointment as more comfortable than the week that led up to it.
Afterwards the tooth is tender for two or three days, the way a bruise is tender. Ordinary painkillers handle it.
What it costs
Front teeth have one canal; back molars can have three or four. That's the whole reason for the range.
- Consultation and X-rayStarts at
- Root canal, front toothStarts at
- Root canal, premolarStarts at
- Root canal, molarStarts at
- Crown afterwardsStarts at
Ranges, not quotes. You get the exact figure after the examination and before any work starts.
What people ask before booking
Often, yes. If the infection is contained and the canals clean up well, the whole treatment finishes in one appointment. Where there's active pus or heavy swelling, the tooth is medicated and closed temporarily, and you return in about a week. Rushing that is how root canals fail.
You can, and it's cheaper that day. It's rarely cheaper overall. A gap lets the neighbouring teeth drift and the opposite tooth drop down, and replacing it later with an implant costs several times more than saving it now. Extraction makes sense when the tooth is cracked below the gum or too broken down to rebuild.
On back teeth, almost always. A root-treated tooth has no blood supply left and turns brittle, and back teeth take the full force of chewing. A crown holds it together. Front teeth sometimes manage with a filling instead.
Decades, and often for life, provided it's crowned and you keep the area clean. The failures are usually teeth that were never crowned, or ones where decay started again at the edge of the crown years later.
Yes. Leaving an infection untreated carries more risk than treating it. The second trimester is generally the most comfortable time, the X-ray is shielded, and the anaesthetic used is considered safe in pregnancy. Tell the clinic when you book.
Driving is fine, since local anaesthetic doesn't affect you that way. Wait until the numbness wears off before eating, usually two to three hours, so you don't bite your cheek. Chew on the other side until the crown is fitted.
What usually comes next
Book a consultation
The consultation covers the examination and, where it's needed, an X-ray. You'll know what's wrong and what it costs before committing to anything.
In pain right now? Call the clinic instead of waiting for a callback.