Save the tooth, lose the pain
When decay reaches the pulp (the nerve and blood vessel inside the tooth), the options are root canal or extraction. Root canal saves the natural tooth — which is almost always better than removing it.
Modern techniques and equipment make root canals dramatically more comfortable than they were 20 years ago. Most patients tell us they were anxious for nothing.
The benefits, plainly explained
Your treatment, step by step
Numb
Local anaesthetic — same as for a filling.
Access
A small opening through the top of the tooth into the pulp chamber.
Clean and shape
Rotary files remove infected tissue and shape the canals.
Fill and seal
Canals are filled with a rubber material and the access closed; a crown follows in 2–4 weeks.
Common questions
Will it hurt?+
Not during. Mild tenderness for 2–4 days after is common — Tylenol or Advil handles it. The relief from the original pain is usually dramatic.
Why do I need a crown after?+
Root-canalled teeth become more brittle over time. A crown protects the tooth from cracking — without one, the tooth often fractures within a few years.
Should I just have it pulled?+
Almost never the better option. Extraction leads to bone loss, drift of neighbouring teeth and the cost of replacement. Save the tooth if you can.