Root Canal Treatment

A root canal treatment is a procedure that involves shaping and cleaning the infected root system of your teeth. A root canal treatment is indicated when the pulp of your teeth is infected. The treatment aims at removing the infection and saving the tooth so that it may be retained in your mouth.

What Can You Expect

Consultation. The process starts with a thorough examination of your mouth and tooth in question. Pre-treatment radiographs are taken to determine the restorability, prognosis and complexity of the tooth.

Procedure. Profound anaesthesia is first administered, following which the decay and infected material is removed from the tooth. The whole process generally last 1 to 2 hours depending on the complexity and infection. If the infection severe, an additional appointment is required to thoroughly remove any persistent bacteria. After the root canal treatment is completed, a filling, also known as a core, is placed. Because the tooth has undergone much damage, a crown may be indicated to prevent further breakage.

Post-procedure. Some discomfort and mild pain is expected after a root canal treatment as the area is healing. Do not worry, this is usually self-limiting and can be managed by over-the-counter pain medication. 

FAQ

An infected tooth may not be painful, but may present with other symptoms like gum abscess, discomfort on biting, tooth discolouration, just to name a few.

If felt untreated the prognosis of the tooth may drastically reduce and may result in an extraction. Furthermore, a long standing infection can spread to the rest of your face, cheeks and jaw. This may become a medical emergency at will require your immediate attention.

  • Long-lasting pain to cold and hot
  • Spontaneous pain disrupting sleep
  • Pain on biting
  • Large decay and broken teeth
  • Gum abscess or pus
  • Tooth turning black or red

Root canal treatment is usually painless. The procedure always starts with strong local anaesthetic to ensure your comfort. You may even feel immediate relief when leaving our office, especially if you have been suffering with a long-standing toothache. After the procedure, mild discomfort and sensitivity is expected. This is usually managed with over-the-counter pain medication and is quickly self-limiting

In most cases, yes. Posterior teeth that are root canal treated almost always need a crown, especially if there was significant destruction prior to treatment. Anterior teeth may darken after a root canal treatment, thus aesthetic treatment options like whitening and veneers, instead of a crown, may be a more conservative approach.

No. This is an urban myth. There is currently no valid scientific evidence linking root canal treated teeth with systemic disease. Correlation of breast cancer and root canal treatment does not mean causation.

Studies have shown that it has a 75-90% success rate of 10 years depending on the condition of your tooth at the beginning. If the tooth is crowned, this success rate improves.

Yes. If you are Orange, Blue, Merdeka or Pioneer Generation CHAS card holder you are eligible for a subsidy when paying for a root canal treatment. Please refer to our CHAS page for more information.

No. Medisave can only be used for surgical procedures such as implants and wisdom teeth extractions. Please refer to our Medisave page for more information.