Root canal treatment
Root canal treatment cleans inflamed or non-vital pulp out of the 1–4 canals a tooth has, and fills them.
- Procedure time
- 45–90 minutes
- Anaesthesia
- Local anaesthetic
- Recovery
- 2–3 days of tenderness
- Sessions
- 1–2 sessions
- How long it lasts
- Long-lasting with the right restoration
When it is needed
Root canal treatment is needed when decay reaches the pulp, when a tooth loses vitality after trauma, or when infection develops at the root tip.
The sign is not always pain. Some teeth lose vitality silently and the situation is only picked up on a radiograph. Regular check-ups are a more reliable route than waiting for pain.
- Pain to cold and heat that lingers and does not settle
- Pain that starts spontaneously and worsens at night
- Recurrent swelling or a sinus opening on the gum
- A tooth that darkens after trauma
- A radiolucent area at the root tip on a radiograph
The procedure
The tooth is numbed with local anaesthetic and isolated with a rubber dam, which stops bacteria in saliva entering the canal.
The canals are cleaned, shaped and disinfected with file systems. An apex locator and radiographs are used to measure canal length correctly. The cleaned canals are filled with a biocompatible root filling material.
A crown may be needed afterwards
A root-treated tooth is more prone to fracture, because it has lost structure and moisture. That tendency is most marked in the back teeth that carry chewing force.
In most cases, protecting the tooth with a crown after root canal treatment is therefore recommended. That recommendation is not aesthetic; the aim is to stop the tooth splitting lengthways and being lost.
What decides success
Three things decide long-term success: cleaning the canals along their full length, filling them without voids, and sealing the tooth against the mouth.
The third is the one most often skipped. Even a well-filled canal can become reinfected within months if the tooth above it is not sealed properly — so if the definitive restoration is being done where you live rather than in Istanbul, do not put it off, and take your radiographs and treatment record with you.
Who this is not for, and what not to expect
Root canal treatment aims to save the tooth, but not every tooth can be saved. Where there is a vertical root fracture, where structure has been lost down to root level, or where the surrounding bone has gone entirely, treatment fails; extraction and then an implant is the conversation instead.
Root canal treatment aims to remove infection from the tooth; it does not restore the tooth to its original strength. Afterwards the tooth is more prone to fracture and usually needs protecting with a crown.
- Vertical root fracture — the fracture line is a permanent path for bacteria; the tooth cannot be saved
- Loss of structure below gum level — root canal treatment is not meaningful in a tooth that cannot be restored
- A mobile tooth with advanced periodontal bone loss — root canal treatment does not restore support
- Calcified or inaccessible canal anatomy — cases needing a microscope are referred to an endodontist
- Where a definitive restoration will not be completed — an unsealed tooth can become reinfected within months
This page is general information and does not replace a clinical examination. The method, dose and timescale that apply to you are decided by a doctor after examining you.
Frequently asked questions
Does root canal treatment hurt?
Would it not be easier just to take the tooth out?
How many sessions does it take?
Can a root-treated tooth hurt again later?
Pre-assessment
Describe your situation and we will answer with a measurement
Send a photograph or an X-ray. A doctor in the relevant speciality will reply with a graft range, a number of teeth or a dose range in units. If you are not suitable, we say so plainly.