Root Canal Treatment

Root canal treatment is performed to save a tooth, which otherwise may require extraction, due to a disruption of the tooth's nervous system. Often the tooth will present as a toothache. Root canal can commonly be required due to:

• Trauma to a tooth
• Abcess or infection within the tooth
• Deep dental decay
• Previous deep dental fillings or crowns
• Cracks in teeth

Treatment normally takes 2-3 visits to clean and disinfect the tooth and to seal the nervous system to prevent reinfection. For teeth with deep dental decay, large fillings or cracks, a crown is also recommended to ensure strength and longevity of the tooth.

After root canal treatment the tooth feels like any other tooth in your mouth. Success rates for root canal treatment have been quoted in scientific literature as between 80-90% successful.