Does root canal treatment hurt?
Root canal treatment has a bad reputation, but it’s just as easy and pain-free as any other treatment. The best comparison is that it feels no different to a routine restoration, it just takes a little longer. You will have local anaesthetic and should not feel any soreness while treatment is going on.
What is the alternative to root canal treatment?
The alternative to completing root canal treatment is extraction (to remove the tooth) this is the only other way to successfully remove the source of the infection which is present within the tooth.
We would then have to discuss options to replace the tooth.
In the majority of cases it is preferable to try and hold on to your natural teeth!
Why does it take longer than just a filling?
Root canal treatment is arguably one of the most complex and challenging aspects of dentistry and it is important that each area of each canal, with a starting size as small as a hundredth of a mm, is thoroughly explored and cleaned to its full length, and this can take time.
How long does the root canal treatment last?
This very much depends. The aim in root canal treatment is to sterilise the tooth to ensure no more infection can take hold, unfortunately, it is impossible to guarantee complete sterilisation and so sometimes the tooth can flare up again, needing either another root canal treatment or extraction. The most recent studies into root canal treatment suggest that there is a 77% to 96% chance of success over 8-12 years.