Inside every tooth is a soft core of nerve and blood vessels called the pulp. If decay, a crack or trauma lets bacteria reach it, the pulp becomes inflamed and then infected. Root canal treatment removes that infected tissue, disinfects the space, and seals it — allowing you to keep a tooth that would otherwise have to come out.
Signs you might need one
- Lingering pain after something hot or cold, rather than a quick twinge
- Pain that wakes you at night, or throbbing
- Pain on biting, or tenderness to touch
- A darkening tooth
- A swelling or a small pimple-like spot on the gum near the tooth
- Sometimes nothing at all — a dead nerve can be painless and found on X-ray
Facial swelling is different
Swelling that spreads into the face or neck, or any difficulty swallowing or breathing, is urgent. Do not wait for a routine appointment — see emergency care and call us immediately.
What the treatment involves
- Numbing. The tooth and surrounding area are fully anaesthetised.
- Isolation. A rubber sheet keeps the tooth dry and clean and stops anything passing into your mouth.
- Access and cleaning. A small opening is made through the biting surface, and the infected pulp is removed from each canal.
- Shaping and disinfecting. The canals are cleaned along their length and irrigated with disinfectant.
- Filling and sealing. The canals are filled with a sealing material and the opening closed.
- Restoring. The tooth is rebuilt, usually with a crown.
Treatment may be completed in one visit or spread across two, depending on the tooth and whether infection needs settling first.
Does it hurt?
This is the question everyone asks, and the reputation is largely undeserved. The pain people associate with root canals is the pain of the infected tooth that led them there. The treatment itself is done under anaesthetic and relieves that pain. Mild tenderness for a few days afterwards, particularly on biting, is normal.
Why a crown afterwards?
A tooth that has needed root canal treatment has usually lost a lot of structure to decay or fracture, and the access opening removes more. What remains is more brittle and more likely to split — and a split root generally cannot be saved. A crown covers and protects it. Skipping the crown to save money often costs the tooth later.
Common questions
Would it not be simpler to take the tooth out?
It is quicker, but it leaves a gap you will probably want to fill, and replacing a tooth with an implant or bridge is usually more involved and more expensive than saving your own. Your own tooth, kept in place, is normally the better outcome. We will tell you honestly when a tooth is not worth saving.
How long will the tooth last?
A properly treated and properly restored root-treated tooth can serve for many years. The main risks to it are fracture, if it is not crowned, and new decay around the restoration.
Will the tooth look different?
Root-treated teeth sometimes darken over time. If it is a front tooth, there are options to address the colour — we will discuss them with you.
What it costs
We do not publish a price list, because the right treatment — and so the price — depends on what we find when we examine you. What we promise instead:
- A written treatment plan and quote before any work begins
- No charges you have not agreed to first
- Payment by MTN MoMo, Airtel Money or card
Nervous about this treatment?
Tell us when you book. We allow extra time, explain each step before we do it, and stop whenever you ask us to.