The soft tissue inside a tooth is called the pulp, containing nerves and blood vessels. When bacteria reach it through deep decay, trauma or a crack, the result is severe pain and abscess. Root canal treatment removes the infected pulp, disinfects the space and seals it — saving the tooth instead of extracting it.
When is a root canal needed?
- Severe, throbbing toothache that worsens at night
- Sensitivity that lingers long after hot or cold is removed
- Swollen gum or an abscess at the root
- A tooth that has darkened
- Pain on biting or pressure
How it is done
- X-ray and diagnosis to map root anatomy and infection.
- Anaesthesia — the tooth and surrounding tissue are fully numbed.
- Rubber dam isolates the tooth from saliva and bacteria.
- Pulp removal and cleaning — fine files remove infected tissue and shape the canals, which are irrigated with disinfectant.
- Sealing — canals are filled with gutta-percha and permanently sealed.
- Crown — a treated tooth becomes brittle, so a crown is essential in most cases.
"Root canals are very painful" — is that true?
No. That reputation dates from older techniques and inadequate anaesthesia. With modern anaesthesia you feel nothing during treatment. The severe pain that brought you in is precisely what the root canal resolves. Mild pressure or tenderness for 2–3 days afterwards is normal and controlled by ordinary painkillers.
Why a root canal beats extraction
Nothing replaces your own tooth. After extraction, adjacent teeth tilt, the opposing tooth over-erupts, jawbone resorbs, and an implant or bridge later costs far more. A root-treated tooth with a proper crown can last 15–20 years or a lifetime.
