Root canal treatment is required when the blood or the nerve supply (Known as the pulp) of the tooth gets infected, mostly due to the external decay of the tooth. This can lead to a further infection of the surrounding areas of the tooth. The pulp of the tooth runs in the form of a fine canal system in the roots of the tooth. Infected Pulp is not repairable by the body, thus requiring its removal in case of an infection. This removal is followed by replacing the site previously occupied by the pulp, with a suitable filling material.

1. Is Root Canal Treatment a Painless Procedure?

Yes, Root Canal Treatments are essentially painless. The procedure is carried out under Local Anaesthesia which makes sure that the procedure is absolutely comfortable to the patient.

2. Can Root Canal Treatment be done in a single sitting?

A dentist can evaluate a particular case and perform the procedure in a single sitting in about 45 minutes. This can save patients of the discomfort of having to come to the dentist for multiple sittings. To sum up, Root Canal Treatment is a highly specialised and skilful job, and whether or not it can be done in a single sitting is at the discretion of the dentist.

3. How much time does a Root Canal Treatment require?

Root canal treatments if done in a single sitting require about 45 minutes. At times root canals treatments may require more than one sitting, in which case each sitting would span about 20 minutes and require about up to three such sitting.

4. Is it necessary to Cap / Crown a Root Canal Treated tooth?

Root canal treated tooth can become slightly brittle over a period of time, which in the long run can cause them to break. A cap / crown helps to strengthen the existing tooth structure after the root canal treatment and provide a long functional life to the tooth. With modern materials and techniques it is now possible to get aesthetic crowns which are in complete harmony with other teeth present and perfectly match the shade of the surrounding tooth structures.

5. Retreatment of root canals:

Retreatment of previously done root canal treatments that have failed is now possible. Retreatment is a super specialized job that requires utmost care and precision from the Endodontist’s end. It involves the removal of old root canal filling material that has degraded, which later has to be replaced by new filling material. Retreatment can result in saving a tooth that would need an extraction.