Root Canal Treatment

Saving the tooth, not losing it

When infection reaches the nerve inside a tooth, root canal treatment removes it, disinfects the space and seals it — so the tooth stays.

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When It’s Needed

You may need root canal treatment if

Pain that lingers well after something hot or cold, rather than fading in seconds
A deep, throbbing ache that’s worse lying down or wakes you at night
Tenderness when biting on one particular tooth
A pimple-like swelling on the gum near a tooth, which may taste unpleasant
A tooth that has darkened compared to its neighbours
Facial swelling near a tooth — see us urgently
Sometimes nothing at all: an abscess found on a routine X-ray

At The Appointment

What actually happens

01/

Diagnosis

Testing the tooth’s response to cold and pressure, plus an X-ray. We confirm the nerve is genuinely the problem before we open anything.

02/

Cleaning the canals

Under local anaesthetic and usually a rubber dam, we open the tooth, remove the infected nerve tissue and shape the canals. An electronic apex locator measures the exact root length, which means accuracy and fewer X-rays.

03/

Dressing & sealing

The canals are disinfected and, once settled, filled with a sealing material. Some teeth are completed in one visit; infected ones often need a medicated dressing between two.

04/

Protecting the tooth

A root-treated back tooth is brittle and prone to splitting, so a crown usually follows within a few weeks. This step is not optional flourish — it’s what makes the treatment last.

Afterwards

Recovery & aftercare

Mild tenderness to bite on for a few days is normal, and simple pain relief handles it.
Chew on the other side until the permanent restoration or crown is fitted.
A temporary filling is soft — avoid sticky foods that could pull it out.
The relief from the original pain is usually immediate and dramatic.
Contact us if pain increases significantly, swelling appears, or the temporary filling comes out.

Root canal treatment being carried out at Tooth n Care

Alternatives We’d Also Discuss

Other ways to go

Extraction

Removing the tooth is quicker and cheaper today, but leaves a gap that costs more to fill properly later. Occasionally it’s still the right answer.

Referral to an endodontist

Curved or calcified canals, retreatment of a previous root canal, or unusual anatomy are sometimes better handled by a specialist. We refer when that’s the case.

Doing nothing

Not really an option once a nerve is infected. It won’t settle on its own, and the infection spreads into bone. We’d rather say that plainly.

Risks & Considerations

The honest downsides

No treatment is risk-free, and you should hear this before you decide rather than afterwards.

Success rates are high but not absolute. A small proportion of root-treated teeth develop persistent or recurrent infection and need retreatment, surgery or extraction.
Canals can be curved, narrow or calcified, and occasionally an instrument separates inside a canal or a canal can’t be fully negotiated.
The tooth becomes more brittle. Without a crown, back teeth have a meaningful risk of splitting — and a split tooth usually can’t be saved.
Root-treated teeth sometimes darken over time, which matters most on front teeth.
Treatment often takes two appointments of 60 to 90 minutes each. Sitting that long is the part most people find hardest.
A root-treated tooth has no nerve, so it can’t warn you about new decay with sensitivity. Regular check-ups matter more, not less.

Cost & health funds

Cost depends on the tooth — front teeth have one canal, molars often three or four, so molars cost considerably more. The crown that follows is a separate cost worth budgeting for from the start. Health funds usually rebate on both, and interest-free payment plans are available.

Fees & payment plans →

Get a written plan

Before anything starts you’ll have a written treatment plan with costs, inclusions and any conditions spelled out, plus an estimate of your health fund rebate checked at the desk.

Book an assessment →

This information is general in nature and is not a substitute for personalised advice from a registered dental practitioner. Any dental or surgical procedure carries risks. Individual results vary. Before proceeding with treatment we encourage you to ask questions and, if you wish, seek a second opinion from a qualified health practitioner.