Root Canal Treatment (RCT)

Root canal treatment is a technique used when the pulp (nerve) inside a tooth has become damaged or infected. Teeth requiring root canal treatment can be painful to bite on, because of toxins produced by the bacteria in the infected pulp.

Without treatment, an infected pulp can develop into a painful abscess. During a root canal treatment, the dentist will normally take x-rays to find out how many roots the tooth has and how deep they extend. The infected areas will show up as darker patches on the x-ray.

The infected nerve tissue is removed and the canal is thoroughly cleaned. A temporary dressing is placed in the root canal and a temporary filling is placed on the tooth to protect the canal from further infection. At a further appointment the temporary filling and dressing are removed and the canal checked and cleaned once again. If the tooth is infection free a permanent root canal filling is placed in the canal and the tooth is once again dressed.

Another appointment is needed for a permanent restoration of the tooth: this could be either as a filling or a crown.

Patients should be aware that root canal treatment may not be successful in every case.

A local anaesthetic will be administered before the treatment. Root canal treatment can take a little longer than some treatments, but it is important to be very careful and thorough, to ensure all the infected pulp is removed.
Teeth treated with root canal treatment may become very brittle, and it is often advisable to have a crown fitted after the root canal treatment has been completed satisfactorily.