ADORE DENTAL | KANGAROO POINT, BRISBANE
ROOT CANAL TREATMENT.
What it involves, what it costs, and what to weigh up before you decide.
OPEN MONDAY TO SATURDAY, FROM 7:30AM
GENERAL DENTISTRY
KEEPING THE TOOTH IS THE WHOLE POINT.
Treatment is needed when the pulp inside a tooth, the living tissue that carries its nerve and blood supply, becomes infected or inflamed past the point of settling on its own. That usually follows deep decay, a crack, a filling that has failed, or an injury to the tooth.
Worth knowing before you decide: the treatment removes the living tissue from inside the tooth, and that cannot be undone. The tooth stays in place but is no longer alive, which makes it more brittle, so back teeth usually need a crown afterwards to protect them. We go through the risks and considerations and how predictable your particular tooth looks before anything is booked.
When it's needed →
The pulp does not always announce itself the same way. The signs are lingering pain to hot or cold, pain on biting, a tooth that has darkened, or swelling and a bad taste. Sometimes there are no symptoms at all and it only shows up on an X-ray.
Not every sensitive tooth needs treatment, which is why we test the tooth first rather than assume. Sensitivity that settles on its own is common and often means something else entirely.
WHAT TO EXPECT →
An X-ray and some testing first, to work out whether the pulp is actually the problem and whether treatment is worth doing on that particular tooth. On the day, the tooth is numbed and we check the numbing has taken before starting. The canals are cleaned and shaped, then filled and sealed.
Some cases are finished in one visit, others need a second with a medicated dressing in between. Afterwards the tooth can feel tender to bite on for a few days while the tissue around it settles. Every case carries its own risks and considerations, and we go through the ones relevant to your tooth beforehand.
COSTS AND HEALTH FUNDS →
Root canal treatment is quoted after the X-ray, because a front tooth with a single canal and a molar with four are different pieces of work. Our starting prices are in the price guide, and you will get a written quote with the item numbers before anything is booked so you can check it against your health fund.
One thing we would rather tell you upfront: the crown that usually follows is a separate cost. We quote both together so you can see the whole picture rather than half of it. If you would like to spread it out, we can talk through payment plan options and their terms.
CURIOUS ABOUT OUR PRICING?
Every smile is different, so every treatment plan, and every price, is too. Our full price and service guide gives you a clear starting point, with starting prices and the payment plan options available.
YOUR VISIT.
Three stages, and the cost of all three is quoted before the first one starts.
01 | DIAGNOSIS
Diagnosis first: an X-ray and testing to confirm what is happening inside the tooth, and an honest conversation about whether saving it is the right call.
02 | TREATMENT
The treatment itself, numbed thoroughly and unhurried. The canals are cleaned, shaped and sealed. Some teeth are finished in one visit, others need two.
03 | PROTECTION & AFTERCARE
Protecting the tooth afterwards. Back teeth usually need a crown for strength, and we plan and price that with you before anything begins rather than after.
NERVOUS PATIENTS
THERE'S NO WRONG WAY TO FEEL ABOUT THE DENTIST.
If visits make you anxious, tell us before you book rather than on the day. We can take breaks, explain as we go, or stop if you need to. Happy gas is available here if it would help. Where more is needed, twilight sedation and general anaesthetic are arranged with an independent specialist anaesthetic team, assessed and quoted separately. You can read more about the sedation options and the risks and considerations that come with them.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ASKED & ANSWERED.
If your question isn't here, please get in touch with us. We're always happy to help.
Does a root canal hurt?
The treatment itself should not hurt. The tooth is numbed thoroughly and we check the numbing has taken before we start. An infected tooth sometimes needs more anaesthetic than usual to settle properly, and we plan for that rather than push on. You will feel pressure and hear sounds, neither of which should be painful.
For a few days afterwards the tooth can feel tender to bite on while the tissue around it settles. If you are in pain right now, that is the more urgent thing: call us on 07 3532 8604, or book an emergency appointment.
Why not just take the tooth out?
Sometimes that is the better option, and we will say so. But your own tooth holds its place in the bite, stops the neighbouring teeth drifting, and keeps the bone around it in use. Replacing it later with an implant or a bridge is a bigger piece of work than keeping it.
Where a tooth is too broken down, or the infection too advanced for treatment to be worth attempting, removal is the honest answer and we will tell you that rather than try anyway.
Will I need a crown afterwards?
Usually, for back teeth. Root canal treatment removes the living tissue from inside the tooth, and a tooth without it is more brittle and more likely to fracture, especially the ones doing most of the chewing. A crown covers it and holds it together.
Front teeth sometimes manage with a filling instead. We will tell you which yours needs, and what it costs, before treatment starts.
How many visits does it take?
Often one or two, depending on the tooth, how many canals it has, and whether the infection needs time to settle with a dressing in between. Molars take longer than front teeth. We will give you a realistic number after the X-ray rather than a best case.
Do you do all root canals here, or would I be referred?
Root canal treatment is done here at the clinic. Where a tooth is unusually complex, whether that is the shape of the canals, a previous treatment that needs redoing, or a case that has not settled as it should, we will say so and refer you to an endodontist, a specialist in exactly this. We organise the referral.
What if it doesn't work?
Root canal treatment usually does what it is meant to, but it is not a guarantee, and a treated tooth can still fail later. Sometimes an infection persists or comes back, which can mean retreating the tooth, a small surgical procedure at the root tip, or removing it after all.
We will tell you honestly how predictable your case looks before you decide, including if we think the odds are poor enough that removal is the better call from the start.
What should I know before I start?
Root canal treatment removes the living tissue from inside the tooth and that cannot be undone. The tooth stays in place but is no longer alive, becomes more brittle, and usually needs a crown to protect it.
Treatment can take more than one visit. The tooth can be tender to bite on for a few days afterwards. There is a chance the infection persists or returns and needs further treatment or removal. A canal can occasionally be difficult or impossible to reach fully, and an instrument can separate inside one.
We will go through which of these apply to your tooth, based on the X-ray, before you decide. You can read our full risks and considerations first.
CONTACT US
GET IN TOUCH WITH US.
Whether you're ready to book or just curious, we'd love to hear from you. We'll get back to you as soon as possible.