General Dentistry
If you are experiencing severe tooth pain or sensitivity, you may need a root canal. This common procedure is designed to save a severely infected or damaged tooth, allowing you to keep your natural tooth and avoid extraction. Your dentist can assess the tooth, explain treatment options and discuss whether referral to an endodontist is appropriate.
What is a root canal?
A root canal is a procedure used to remove infected or damaged tissue from inside your tooth. After the pulp, the soft tissue inside the tooth, is removed, the tooth is sealed and a crown is placed to restore its function and appearance.
Signs you may need a root canal
- Severe tooth pain or sensitivity to hot and cold
- Swelling or tenderness around the tooth or gums
- Darkening of the tooth
- Prolonged discomfort or pain
Why choose Park Place Dental for your root canal?
Expert care
Ask who will provide your root canal treatment and whether your case needs referral to an endodontist.
Comfort
We use the latest technology and techniques to ensure that your procedure is as pain-free and comfortable as possible.
Long-term results
Ask which restoration your tooth needs after root canal treatment and how it should be maintained. Results depend on the condition of the tooth and ongoing care.
How to tell whether you need one
No single sign is proof, and some teeth needing treatment give no warning at all, which is one reason examinations matter. These are the signals worth acting on.
Pain that lingers after heat or cold
Sensitivity that stops as soon as the cold does is usually just sensitivity. Pain that carries on for half a minute or more after the trigger is gone suggests the nerve is inflamed.
Pain that wakes you, or throbs
Spontaneous pain, and pain that is worse lying down, both point towards the pulp rather than the gum.
Pain on biting
Sharp pain when you bite down, or when you release, can indicate a crack or inflammation at the root tip.
A tooth that has darkened
A single tooth going grey compared to its neighbours often means the nerve inside has died, sometimes years after a knock that seemed to have healed.
A gum boil or swelling
A small spot on the gum near a tooth that comes and goes is often a sinus draining an infection at the root. It may relieve pressure and stop the pain, which is not the same as getting better.
What happens during treatment
Numbing and isolating the tooth
Local anaesthetic first, then a rubber sheet placed around the tooth to keep it clean and dry and to stop anything reaching the back of your throat.
Reaching and cleaning the canals
A small opening is made through the biting surface, and the inflamed or infected tissue inside the root canals is removed and the canals shaped and disinfected. This is the bulk of the appointment.
Filling and sealing
The cleaned canals are filled with an inert material and sealed so bacteria cannot get back in. Some teeth are completed in one visit; some need a second, with a dressing in between.
Restoring the tooth properly
A back tooth that has had root canal treatment usually needs a crown, because it has been hollowed out and is liable to fracture. Ask the dentist which restoration is appropriate to protect your particular tooth.
Afterwards, and what to expect
Tenderness for a few days, particularly on biting, is normal and usually manageable with ordinary over-the-counter pain relief. It should be improving, not worsening: increasing pain or swelling is worth a phone call.
Root canal treatment has a good long-term success rate, and it is not certain. Canals can be complex, an infection can persist, and a tooth can crack later. Where a treated tooth fails it can sometimes be re-treated, and sometimes the answer is extraction and replacement.
The alternative to a root canal is removing the tooth. That is quicker and usually less expensive today, and then you are deciding between a gap, a bridge, a denture or an implant. Keeping your own tooth, where it can be kept, is generally the better outcome.
Root Canals Questions
The procedure itself is done under anesthetic and most people find it comparable to having a filling placed. The pain people associate with root canals is nearly always the pain of the infection beforehand, which is what the treatment relieves.
The common signs are a persistent toothache, lingering sensitivity to heat or cold after the source is removed, pain on biting, a darkening tooth, or swelling around the gum. None of these is proof on its own, and only an examination and imaging can tell you for certain.
Keeping your own tooth is usually the better outcome where it is possible, because natural teeth preserve the bone around them and need no replacement. Extraction is sometimes the right answer when a tooth is too damaged to restore, and we will tell you which situation you are in.
Usually yes, particularly on back teeth. A tooth that has had a root canal is more brittle than it was, and a crown protects it from fracturing. Because our lab is in the building, that crown does not have to be mailed away and waited on.
Many root canals can be completed in a single appointment, though some need a second visit depending on the tooth and whether infection needs time to settle. We will tell you which to expect before we begin rather than partway through.
Before your visit
Answers to help you plan your care
Saving teeth
Root Canal or Extraction? Questions Before You Decide
A painful tooth does not automatically need to be removed. Root canal treatment may preserve a tooth that can be restored, while extraction removes it. The useful question is whether keeping that particular tooth is a sound option, based on an examination and the care it would need afterward.
Emergency care
Cracked a tooth or knocked one out? What to do in the first hour
A knocked-out tooth has its best chance in the first hour. Here is what to do for each kind of dental emergency, and how to tell what needs a dentist today from what needs a hospital now.
More General Dentistry
Cleanings & Exams
At Park Place Dental, we believe in the power of preventive care. Regular cleanings and exams are the foundation of maintaining a healthy, beautiful smile. Our team is dedicated to helping you achieve optimal oral health with gentle and thorough cleanings, along with comprehensive exams to catch potential issues early.
Learn moreFillings
Cavities are a common dental issue, but they do not have to affect the function or beauty of your smile. At Park Place Dental, we offer tooth-colored fillings that restore the natural look and feel of your teeth while providing durable, long-lasting protection.
Learn moreEmergency Dentistry
Dental emergencies can happen at any time, and when they do, it is important to get immediate care. At Park Place Dental, we offer emergency dentistry services to help you when it is needed most. Whether it is a toothache, a broken tooth, or an injury to the mouth, our team is ready to provide fast, effective treatment.
Learn more
If you are experiencing tooth pain or think you may need a root canal, do not wait. Contact Park Place Dental today to schedule an appointment and preserve your natural tooth.
