Endodontics

Endodontics treats the inside of the tooth. Root canal therapy cleans out inflamed or infected pulp so the tooth can stay in your mouth. Its purpose is simple: to save a tooth that might otherwise be lost.

What root canal treatment is

Inside every tooth is a soft core called the pulp, holding the nerve and blood supply. When deep decay, a crack or trauma reaches it, the pulp can become inflamed or infected. Root canal treatment cleans out that damaged tissue, shapes and fills the canals, and seals the tooth. The aim is to keep the tooth in place rather than remove it, which makes a root canal the alternative to extraction and the way we save a tooth that would otherwise be lost.

When a root canal is needed

Deep decay, repeated procedures or trauma can inflame or infect the pulp inside a tooth, bringing pain that does not settle, sensitivity to hot and cold, and swelling. Root canal therapy clears that tissue so the tooth can keep working, rather than being pulled.

Is it painful?

This is the most misunderstood point in dentistry. The bad reputation of root canal treatment really comes from the toothache that precedes it: the pain is caused by the inflammation that makes treatment necessary, not by the treatment itself. Because the tooth is numbed with local anaesthesia, no pain is expected during the procedure, and most patients describe it as similar in comfort to having a filling. A few days of mild tenderness may follow, usually eased with simple painkillers. In short, a root canal relieves pain rather than starting it.

How it is done

The pulp is removed, the canal system shaped and disinfected, then sealed with a suitable material, all under local anaesthesia. The American Association of Endodontists notes that modern root canal treatment is routine and usually completed with comfort similar to having a filling [1].

Protecting the tooth afterwards

Root-treated teeth can become more brittle through loss of structure, so a crown is often advised to protect the tooth. This step raises the tooth's chances of serving for the long term.

Success and the life of the tooth

Well-done root canal therapy can keep a tooth for many years; studies report high survival rates for treated teeth [1]. Keeping your own tooth is, in most cases, preferable to extraction and the prosthetic work that follows.

Root canal or extraction?

When a tooth is badly damaged, two paths come into view: saving it with a root canal, or removing it and filling the gap with an implant or a bridge. The general approach is to keep your own tooth where possible, because a natural tooth sits in harmony with the bone and tissue around it in a way no prosthetic fully matches. But if the root cannot be saved, extraction followed by an implant or bridge is the sound choice. Which path fits your tooth is decided at examination.