What is root canal treatment? When is it needed and how does it work?

Severe toothache — especially pain that starts at night, worsens with hot and cold, or appears on its own — can signal damage to the nerve tissue inside the tooth. Root canal treatment aims to save such a tooth instead of extracting it.

Beneath the enamel and dentin lies the pulp: the soft tissue of nerves and vessels that keeps the tooth alive. Deep decay, trauma or cracks can damage it and lead to infection. The goal of a root canal is to clean out the infected pulp and keep the natural tooth functioning in your mouth.

Signs you may need a root canal

• Toothache that wakes you at night
• Prolonged sensitivity to hot or cold
• Pain when biting
• Tooth discoloration
• Swelling in the gum or face
• Discomfort while chewing

The procedure step by step

• Local anesthesia numbs the tooth — no pain during the procedure
• A small opening is made to reach the infected pulp
• Infected tissue is removed from the root canals with special instruments
• Canals are shaped and disinfected
• They are then sealed with biocompatible filling material
• The tooth is restored with a filling or crown as needed

How many sessions? Does it hurt?

With modern anesthesia, patients generally feel no pain during treatment; mild sensitivity for a few days afterwards is normal and manageable with medication. Some teeth are completed in a single session, while advanced infections or abscesses may require more — the exact plan is set after examination.

Afterwards

Avoid eating until numbness passes, skip very hard foods on day one, take prescribed medication regularly and keep up oral hygiene. A root-canal-treated tooth loses its vitality and can become brittle over time, so a crown may be recommended for durability. Left untreated, an infected tooth can progress to abscess, jawbone infection, facial swelling and tooth loss.