Treatments / Everyday dentistry
Root Canal Treatment
When decay or injury reaches the nerve inside a tooth, the tissue becomes infected and painful. Root canal treatment removes that tissue, disinfects and seals the canals, and keeps the natural tooth in place. An endodontist attends the clinic for the more complex cases. Straightforward cases are often completed as a single sitting root canal.
Who this is for
- Persistent toothache, or pain that lingers after hot and cold
- A tooth that has darkened, or an abscess or swelling at the gum
- Deep decay or a fracture reaching the nerve
What actually happens
- X-ray to confirm the diagnosis and see the root anatomy
- Local anaesthetic, then cleaning and shaping of the canals
- Sealing the canals, usually in one or two appointments
- A crown afterwards on back teeth, which take the chewing load
When a root canal is complex
Root canals are the everyday work of endodontics, the part of dentistry that deals with the nerve and canals inside a tooth. Complex root canal cases at STHIRA are treated by our visiting endodontist, Dr. Manish Khazane.
Many root canals are straightforward. What makes one complex is usually the tooth itself, for example extra canals, or canals that are curved or very narrow. The X-ray shows much of this, and you will be told what it shows before anything starts.
Does it hurt?
The treatment is done under local anaesthetic, and most of what people feel is pressure and vibration rather than pain. A tooth that is badly inflamed can be harder to numb. If you feel anything sharp, say so, and more anaesthetic can be given.
Afterwards, the tooth is often sore or tender to bite on for a few days. Ordinary pain relief, taken as your dentist advises, is usually enough, and the numbness wears off within a few hours.
Do not wait for a dental appointment if your face is swelling. A swelling that spreads towards the eye or into the neck, or makes it hard to swallow, breathe or open your mouth, or comes with a high fever, is an emergency. Go to a hospital emergency department, and call 108 if breathing is difficult. Our guide on facial swelling from a tooth abscess explains the warning signs in more detail.
Root canal or extraction?
Taking a tooth out is quicker on the day. But the gap usually needs filling later with an implant, a bridge or a denture, and if it is left, the teeth beside it can drift and the bone there shrinks.
A root canal keeps your own tooth, its root and the bone around it. Sometimes a tooth cannot be saved, because the root is cracked, too little tooth is left or the gum support has gone, and then removal makes more sense. Once the X-ray has been looked at, you will be told which applies to your tooth and why.
When an old root canal needs redoing
A tooth that had a root canal years ago can become infected again. Common reasons are a seal that has leaked over time, new decay or a crack letting bacteria back in, or a canal that was hard to reach the first time. It may show as pain on biting or a small swelling on the gum near the tooth, and sometimes only on an X-ray.
Re-treatment means removing the old root filling, cleaning the canals again and resealing them. It is usually more involved than a first root canal.
A treated tooth usually needs protecting afterwards. Why a root-treated tooth usually needs a crown explains what changes inside the tooth, and why the crown is part of the treatment rather than an extra.
Root canals at STHIRA are done by Dr. Manish Khazane, Dr. Nawaz and Dr. Srujana.
A root canal is often done in one visit, sometimes two. If you are travelling over from Gachibowli or Khajaguda, our contact page has the address, map and opening hours.
Questions people ask
Will it be one visit or two?
Often one, for a straightforward tooth. Two is more likely if there is active infection or swelling, the canals are difficult, or an old root canal is being redone, and in between the tooth is closed with a temporary filling.
Why is my tooth still sore after a root canal?
Some tenderness, especially when biting, is common for a few days while the tissue around the root settles. If the pain is getting worse rather than better after that, or swelling appears, call the clinic.
Will I need antibiotics?
Not usually. Antibiotics do not clear the infection inside the tooth. Cleaning the canals does. They are used when infection has spread beyond the tooth, for example with facial swelling or fever.
Can I eat after a root canal?
Yes, once the numbness has worn off, so you do not bite your cheek or tongue. Until the tooth has its final filling or crown, chew on the other side.
Can a root-treated tooth still get decay?
Yes. Decay can start at the edge of the filling or crown, and without a nerve the tooth will not ache, so it is usually found at a check-up rather than felt.
