Root Canal Treatment

Root canal treatment is a dental procedure to treat infection at the centre of a tooth (the root canal system). Root canal treatment is also called endodontics.

The infection is caused by bacteria that live in the mouth and invade the tooth when:

Tooth decay occurs
Fillings leak
Teeth are damaged by trauma, such as a fall

Tooth Structure

A tooth is made up of two parts:

The crown is the part of the tooth that is visible in the mouth.
The root extends into the bone of the jaw, anchoring the tooth in position.

These are composed of the following structures:

Enamel is the hard outer coating of a tooth.
Dentine is a softer material that supports the enamel and forms most of the tooth.
Cementum is a hard material that coats the root surface.
Dental pulp is the soft tissue at the centre of the tooth.

The root canal system contains the dental pulp and extends from the crown of the tooth to the end of the root. A single tooth can have more than one root canal.

Infection

The pulp is made up of soft tissue that includes nerves and blood vessels. If bacteria infect the pulp, it will begin to die. After this, the bacteria can increase in number. The bacteria and the substances they release will eventually pass out of the end of the root canal through the small hole where the blood vessels and nerves enter.

This process continues as there is nothing to stop more bacteria passing down the root canal, which causes the tissues around the end of the tooth to become red and swollen. This can cause your tooth to become painful and, in extreme circumstances, your face may become swollen (dental abscess).

Learn more about when root canal treatment should be done.

The Procedure

To treat the infection in the root canal, the bacteria need to be removed. This can be done by:

Removing the tooth (extraction)
Attempting to save the tooth by removing the bacteria from the root canal system (root canal treatment)

In root canal treatment, once the bacteria are removed, the root canal is filled and the tooth is sealed with a filling or crown. In most cases, the inflamed tissue at the end of the tooth will heal naturally.

Learn more about how root canal treatment is performed.

Root canal treatment should not be painful because a local anaesthetic is normally given, it should be no more unpleasant than having a filling. The procedure is usually successful. In about 9 out of 10 cases, a tooth can survive for up to 10 years after root canal treatment.

Aftercare

It is important to look after your teeth when recovering from root canal treatment. You should also avoid biting on hard foods until all treatment is complete.

Most people can help prevent the need for further root canal treatment by: