Root Canal

A Root Canal is a dental procedure to fix a tooth by removing the pulp chamber of the tooth and filling it with a suitable filling material. A root canal is usually performed when the tooth cannot be filled or restored any other way because the decay has reached the nerve of the tooth or the tooth has become infected.

A root canal is also called root canal therapy or root canal treatment.

A root canal is a dental procedure to fix a tooth that cannot be filled or restored any other way. If the tooth is severely decayed into the pulp of the tooth and / or infected, root canal treatment is usually the only option to save the tooth. Your regular dentist might do the root canal, but he / she may send you to an endodontist.

What to Expect

After the dentist numbs your tooth, he / she may use a rubber dam to keep the tooth area dry and free of saliva. A rubber dam is simply a piece of rubber that fits over the tooth and isolates it from the rest of the mouth. The dentist will then prepare the tooth by drilling an opening. After the dentist removes all of the decay and bacteria, he / she will use root canal files to clean out the canals (roots) of the tooth.

Root canal files are small instruments that increase in diameter and fit down into the canals enabling the dentist to remove the pulp of the tooth.

Some dentists like to wait a week or two before they finish a root canal, to make sure that there is no discomfort or further infection. If this is the case, the dentist will thoroughly clean the tooth and usually put some soothing medicine inside and seal it closed with a temporary filling material.

At the final stage of a root canal treatment, the dentist will usually fill the canals with a rubber filling material called gutta percha. After the canals are filled, a regular filling will be placed in the tooth.

Facts to Consider

After a tooth has had a root canal, it can become dry and brittle and easy to break. A crown is usually recommended to restore the tooth properly. The cost of a root canal on a molar (back tooth) averages around $800.00 and more if a root canal specialist performs the procedure. A crown averages around $900.00. Although the cost of a root canal is extensive, the only other alternative to a root canal is the removal of the tooth. If the tooth is removed, a bridge, implant or partial is recommended to fill in the gap because the other teeth can become crooked by shifting around.

Most root canals are successful (about 95%), but there is always the chance of a new infection, which could require another root canal or removal of the tooth.


A root canal doesn’t have to be scary if you know what to expect. Express any concerns or questions you might have with your dentist and be sure to keep up with regular check up appointments, because a root canal is an investment that should be protected.

People seem to cringe when they hear the words root canal. I know that I used to. But reading the truth about these 10 root canal myths can help you get a better sense of what having a root canal really is all about.

1. Root Canals Hurt

According to the American Association of Endodontists, the perception of root canals being painful began decades ago when root canal treatments were painful. Today, with modern technology and better anesthetics, root canal treatments are no more painful than having a filling. Knowing what to expect while having a root canal can help ease a lot of anxiety.

2. Root Canals Require a lot of Visits to the Dentist

With today’s cutting edge technology, most root canals can be performed in one or two office visits.

3. Crowns Cause Teeth to Need Root Canals

Many people believe that having a crown on a tooth means that the tooth will eventually need a root canal. Crowns do not cause the need for root canal therapy. If a crowned tooth does require a root canal, it could be that the tooth has abscessed or that decay has gotten underneath the crown and reached the pulp of the tooth.

4. Root Canals Cause Illness

There is no evidence to support that root canals cause illness. However, there is evidence to support the fact that people who have had root canals are no more at risk for developing illness than people who have never had root canals.

5. Root Canals Involve Removing the Roots of the Tooth


When the dentist or endodontist performs a root canal treatment, he or she remove the pulp from inside of the tooth. The roots of the tooth are not removed.

6. Pregnant Women Can't Have Root Canals

Pregnant women can and do have root canals. Having a root canal does require a small x-ray, but the radiation exposure is very minimal and the x-ray is aimed at the mouth, not the abdomen area. If you are pregnant and your dentist needs to give you an x-ray, he will use a lead apron to cover your belly. The anesthetics that dentists use are also safe for pregnant women.

7. Even With A Root Canal, The Tooth Will Come Out Eventually

If you have your tooth properly restored, maintain good oral hygiene and visit your dentist for regular checkups, your natural tooth could last for the rest of your life.

8. If the Tooth Doesn't Hurt, There is no Need for a Root Canal

While a throbbing toothache usually results in the need for root canal treatment, many times a tooth can require root canal treatment when there is no pain present. Dentists and endodontists are specially trained to test a tooth to see if the pulp has been infected or damaged. If this is the case, a root canal would be necessary to save the tooth.

9. Pulling the Tooth is Better than Getting a Root Canal

Keeping your natural teeth for as long as possible is very important for proper eating and chewing functions. There are several options available for missing teeth, such as dentures, partial dentures, dental implants and fixed dental bridges, however, these alternatives can be much more expensive than saving your tooth with a root canal treatment.

10. After Having a Root Canal, My Tooth is Completely Restored

After having a root canal, it is extremely important to make a follow-up appointment with your dentist to have the tooth permanently restored. After the pulp of the tooth has been removed, the tooth can become very dry and brittle. Having a permanent restoration will help protect your tooth from fracturing.
Male Cigarette Smokers More Likely to Need Root Canals

According to a recent report from the American Dental Association, males that smoke cigarettes are almost twice as likely to need root canals based on news reports about an extensive study listed to appear in the Journal of Dental Research in April 2006.

The lead author of this study, Boston University’s Dr.Elizabeth Krall Kaye, presented the findings in New York City at a special media briefing hosted by the American Dental Association as well as the American Medical Association.

This long term study began in 1968, where researchers collected data from aging men in the Veterans Affairs. The participants were all males, whose progression of oral health was tracked for nearly three decades. The study states that these male participants were evaluated every three years for gum disease, tooth mobility, cavities, restorations and calculus.

Other risk factors for root canal treatment such as cavities, presence of crowns, age, signs of periapical infection and bone loss were also taken into account and adjusted for by the researchers.

Even though the study did find that the incidence of needing root canal treatment was higher in smokers than non smokers, the length of time that a participant spent smoking was also a clear factor. The risk factors of needing root canal treatment decreased with the extent of time that the participants had refrained from smoking. While no female smokers were involved in this research, the study did suggest that, “similar conclusions could likely be reached for female smokers.”

Cigarette smoking has long ago been established as a key risk factor, of both men and women, for oral cancer, lung cancer, heart disease and other medical and dental problems. The findings of this extensive study not only shows data indicating the link between male cigarette smokers and the risk factors of needing root canal treatment, but also reinforces the importance of prevention and overcoming tobacco addiction.