Root Canal Steps and What to Expect
Save an infected tooth from extraction
My Dental Home provides root canal assessments and treatment in Underwood. If you have tooth pain or have been told a tooth may need root canal treatment, we will assess it and explain whether it can be restored. You can discuss the proposed treatment, alternatives and expected costs before deciding.
When Is A Root Canal Needed?
Root canal treatment is recommended when the pulp inside a tooth becomes infected or inflamed. This may happen due to deep decay, a cracked or broken tooth, repeated dental procedures or dental trauma.
Treating the infection early can relieve discomfort and often allows your natural tooth to be preserved, avoiding the need for extraction. You can read more in our guide on when a root canal is required.
Benefits Of Saving Your Natural Tooth
- Relieve dental pain
- Remove infection
- Save your natural tooth
- Restore normal chewing
- Prevent neighbouring teeth from shifting
- Reduce the need for tooth replacement
What is Root Canal Treatment?
Root canal treatment removes infected or damaged tissue from inside the tooth before carefully cleaning, disinfecting and sealing the root canals. Once the tooth has healed, it is often protected with a custom dental crown to restore its strength and function.
Saving your natural tooth is usually the preferred option whenever possible, helping you maintain normal chewing, speech and smile aesthetics. If you're unsure whether your tooth can be saved, our guide to choosing between a root canal and a tooth extraction explains how dentists decide which treatment is right for you.
Signs You May Need A Root Canal
You should arrange an assessment if you experience:
- Severe or persistent toothache
- Pain when biting or chewing
- Sensitivity to hot or cold that lingers
- Swollen or tender gums
- Facial swelling
- Darkening of a tooth
- A recurring gum pimple or abscess
Sometimes an infected tooth causes very few symptoms, which is why regular dental examinations and X-rays remain important for early diagnosis. If your discomfort tends to be worse overnight, read our article on the common causes of tooth pain at night to understand what may be triggering it.
What Happens During Root Canal Treatment?
Your dentist will first assess the affected tooth to determine whether root canal treatment is appropriate. If treatment is recommended, the process involves removing the infected tissue, cleaning and sealing the tooth, and restoring it to help protect its long-term function.
Assessment & Digital X-Rays
We'll examine the tooth, discuss your symptoms and take digital X-rays to determine whether root canal treatment is the most appropriate option.
Cleaning The Infection
After numbing the area, the infected pulp is carefully removed and the root canals are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.
Sealing The Tooth
The cleaned canals are sealed to help prevent future infection.
Restoring Your Tooth
In many cases, a dental crown is recommended to strengthen and protect the treated tooth for long-term function.
What affects root canal cost?
Root canal cost depends on the tooth being treated and the complexity of the treatment. Ask whether your estimate includes the examination, X-rays, root canal appointments and the final restoration. If a crown is recommended, check whether its cost is included or quoted separately. Our team can explain the proposed fees after assessing your tooth. For questions about treatment fees and the final restoration, read our root canal cost guide. It explains what to check in a written quote before deciding on treatment.
You can read more about our fees and what we charge on our fees page, and what to consider when a crown is recommended in our guide to crowns and bridges. For a walkthrough of what a root canal estimate should include, read our guide to root canal cost and what to ask.
Don't Ignore Tooth Pain
Persistent tooth pain rarely improves on its own. Early assessment allows us to diagnose the problem, relieve discomfort and determine whether your tooth can be saved with root canal treatment.
Root Canal vs Tooth Extraction: What's the Difference?
When considering a root canal vs extraction, the main difference is that root canal treatment aims to preserve your natural tooth, while an extraction removes the tooth completely. Whenever possible, preserving your natural tooth is usually preferred. Root canal treatment allows the tooth to remain in place while removing the source of infection.
If the tooth cannot be restored, extraction may be recommended instead. During your consultation, we'll explain all suitable treatment options and help you make an informed decision based on your oral health.
After Your Root Canal Treatment
Some tenderness can occur after treatment. Follow the advice provided for your tooth and avoid chewing while the area is numb. If a temporary filling is present, take care with hard foods and attend the appointment for the recommended final restoration.
Contact the clinic if pain is increasing rather than settling, swelling develops or a temporary filling or restoration comes out. Your dentist can assess whether a review is needed. Difficulty breathing or swallowing requires emergency dental care.
Root canal treatment and the final restoration work together to protect the tooth. Keep the recommended follow-up appointments and continue regular dental care.
Why Choose My Dental Home?
We understand that many patients feel anxious about root canal treatment. Our experienced team focuses on gentle care, clear communication and modern techniques to make your treatment as comfortable as possible while helping preserve your natural tooth.
Gentle Dental Care
Modern Digital Imaging
Experienced Dentists
Tooth Preservation Focus
Personalised Treatment
Flexible Payment Options
Can A Root Canal Prevent Tooth Extraction?
This is one of the most common questions patients ask.
Yes, in many cases. Root canal treatment is specifically designed to remove infection while preserving the natural tooth. Saving the tooth often provides a more functional and cost-effective long-term outcome than extraction followed by tooth replacement.
If the tooth is too badly damaged to restore, we'll explain your alternatives, including dental implants, bridges or dentures, so you can make an informed decision.
Root Canal Restoration, Further Treatment and Costs
The cost depends on the tooth, its root canals, the extent of infection and the restoration needed afterwards. A filling or dental crown may be required to restore the tooth, and its cost may be separate from root canal treatment. Ask for a treatment estimate that explains the stages and inclusions, and read our root canal cost guide before deciding on treatment.
Root canal treatment aims to retain your tooth, but success cannot be guaranteed. If symptoms persist or the tooth has a complex problem, further treatment or assessment by an endodontist may be discussed. If the tooth cannot be predictably restored, your dentist will explain alternative options.
Book a root canal assessment
We'll assess your tooth, explain whether it can be restored and discuss your options and costs before you decide.
Send Us a Message
Visit Our Clinic
Address
Shop 7, 11/21 Kingston Rd
Underwood QLD 4119, Australia
Phone
(07) 3473 2721Hours
Mon – Fri: 9:00am – 4:30pm
Sat & Sun: Closed
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about root canal treatment
The cost of root canal treatment in Australia can vary depending on factors such as the tooth being treated, the complexity of the root canal system and whether additional treatment, such as a dental crown, is required.
Following an examination and X-rays, we'll explain the recommended treatment and associated costs before treatment begins.
Not necessarily. Root canal treatment and a crown are different stages of care. Ask which restoration is recommended and whether its fee is included in the estimate. We will explain the costs before you decide on treatment.
Root canal treatment removes infected tissue from inside a tooth, helping relieve pain and preserve the natural tooth rather than removing it.
Modern root canal treatment is performed using local anaesthetic, making the procedure similar in comfort to having a dental filling. Mild tenderness afterwards is normal and usually settles within a few days.
Mild tenderness can occur, but increasing pain, new swelling or a lost temporary filling should be assessed. Contact the clinic for advice. Seek emergency dental care for breathing or swallowing difficulty.
Persistent tooth pain, swelling, prolonged sensitivity to hot or cold, pain when biting or a darkened tooth may all indicate that root canal treatment is needed. A dental examination and X-rays are required to confirm the diagnosis.
Treatment may be completed in one or two appointments, depending on the condition of the tooth and the extent of the infection.
Many back teeth benefit from a dental crown after root canal treatment because it helps restore strength and reduces the risk of the tooth cracking.
With good oral hygiene and regular dental check-ups, a root canal treated tooth can often last for many years.
In many cases, preserving your natural tooth is the preferred option because it maintains normal function and helps avoid more complex tooth replacement treatments.
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