Root canal treatment: what is true, what is myth

Myth: the procedure is agonising

The pain patients remember is the infected nerve before treatment, not the treatment itself. Once profound local anaesthesia is achieved, the visit feels like a long filling. Hot, throbbing teeth can be harder to numb, which is why we sometimes use supplementary techniques or place a dressing first and complete the canal at a second visit.

Myth: it is better to just remove the tooth

An extraction is cheaper on the day and more expensive over a decade. Neighbouring teeth tilt into the gap, the opposing tooth over-erupts, bone in that area resorbs, and replacing the tooth with an implant or bridge costs several times the root canal. We only recommend extraction when the tooth is unrestorable or vertically fractured.

Why a crown after the root canal

A treated back tooth has lost its blood supply and usually a lot of structure. It becomes brittle and fractures under chewing load. A crown, or at minimum an onlay, distributes force and is the single biggest factor in whether the tooth survives ten years. Skipping the crown to save money is the most common reason treated teeth are lost.

What to expect afterwards

Mild tenderness on biting for a few days is normal as the ligament around the root settles. Severe swelling, fever or pain that increases after 72 hours is not — call us.

• Most single-rooted teeth finish in one visit; molars may need two
• Success rates around 90% when the tooth is properly restored afterwards
• Eat on the other side until the permanent crown is fitted