What Are the Benefits of Root Canal Treatment?

The main benefits of root canal treatment are that it can relieve pain, remove infection from inside a tooth, and allow you to keep your natural tooth rather than having it extracted. It can also restore normal chewing function and help maintain the health and appearance of your smile.

Root canal treatment is often misunderstood, but it is an established treatment for teeth where the pulp has become irreversibly inflamed or infected. Rather than removing the entire tooth, root canal treatment removes the diseased tissue from inside the tooth, cleans and disinfects the root canal system, and seals it to help prevent reinfection.

For many patients, one of the biggest advantages is simply being able to keep their natural tooth.

In this blog, we will explain what root canal treatment involves, the key benefits of treatment, what you can expect afterwards, and why preserving a natural tooth is often preferable when the tooth can be successfully treated and restored.

WATCH Dr Amish Bayani answer commonly asked questions about root canal treatment and what to expect at Inspired Dental Care:

What is root canal treatment?

Root canal treatment, also known as endodontic treatment, is used to treat disease or infection affecting the pulp and root canal system inside a tooth.

The pulp contains nerves and blood vessels and is located inside the tooth. It can become inflamed or infected because of deep decay, cracks or fractures, trauma, repeated dental treatment, or problems with an existing restoration.

During root canal treatment, the diseased pulp is removed and the root canals are carefully cleaned, shaped and disinfected. They are then filled and sealed to help prevent bacteria from entering the tooth again.

The tooth is subsequently restored with the most appropriate restoration for the individual case. This may be a filling, onlay or crown, depending on how much healthy tooth structure remains and the demands placed on the tooth.

The overall aim is to remove the disease while preserving the natural tooth.

At Inspired Dental Care in Exeter, Dr Amish Bhayani has a special interest in endodontics and completed an MSc in Endodontics at the University of Chester. He treats both straightforward and more complex root canal cases.

1. It can relieve tooth pain

One of the main reasons people seek root canal treatment is because of pain caused by inflammation or infection within a tooth.

Symptoms can include:

• Pain when biting or chewing
• Sensitivity to hot or cold foods and drinks
• Persistent or spontaneous toothache
• Tenderness around the tooth
• Swelling or an abscess in some cases

When the pulp is irreversibly inflamed or infected, it cannot simply recover on its own. Root canal treatment removes the diseased pulp and treats the source of infection inside the tooth.

The procedure itself is carried out using local anaesthetic, so you should not expect to feel sharp pain during treatment. As with any dental procedure, some tenderness can occur afterwards while the tissues around the tooth settle.

2. It can save your natural tooth

Perhaps the most important benefit of root canal treatment is that it can allow you to keep a natural tooth that might otherwise need to be removed.

Where a tooth has a good long-term prognosis, preserving it means you retain its natural root, shape and function.

Keeping your natural tooth can help:

• Maintain normal chewing function
• Preserve the position of neighbouring teeth
• Maintain your natural bite
• Retain the natural appearance of your smile
• Avoid the need to replace the missing tooth

If a tooth is extracted, you may subsequently need to consider options such as an implant, bridge or denture, depending on its position and your individual circumstances.

For this reason, when a tooth can be predictably treated and restored, preserving the natural tooth is often an excellent option.

3. It treats infection inside the tooth

An infected root canal system will not normally heal without appropriate treatment. If the infection is left untreated, it can progress and may result in an abscess, swelling or damage to the bone surrounding the tooth.

Root canal treatment works by removing the diseased pulp and cleaning and disinfecting the root canal system. The canals are then sealed to reduce the risk of bacteria re-entering.

This can allow inflammation around the root to heal following successful treatment.

It is important to understand that root canal treatment does not simply mask an infection. The aim is to treat the source of the infection within the tooth while preserving the tooth itself.

4. It restores normal chewing and function

An infected or damaged tooth can become painful to bite on, making you naturally avoid using it.

Once the tooth has been successfully treated and appropriately restored, it can usually return to normal function.

The final restoration is an important part of this process. Depending on the tooth, this could be a filling, onlay or crown. The restoration needs to protect the remaining tooth structure and allow it to withstand normal biting forces.

A successfully treated and restored tooth can then be used for everyday activities such as:

• Eating
• Chewing
• Speaking
• Maintaining a balanced bite

The exact restoration recommended will depend on the tooth and how much healthy structure remains.

5. It helps maintain your natural smile

Root canal treatment preserves the natural tooth rather than replacing it with an artificial tooth.

This can be particularly valuable when treating teeth that are visible when you smile. Modern restorative materials can be selected to provide a natural-looking result while restoring the tooth’s strength and function.

In some cases, a tooth that has undergone root canal treatment may become darker or discoloured. If this happens, your dentist can discuss appropriate cosmetic options, which may include internal whitening or other restorative treatment depending on the circumstances.

6. It can avoid the need for tooth replacement

Extracting a tooth removes the source of infection, but it also leaves a space that may need to be considered as part of your long-term treatment plan.

Depending on the location of the tooth and your individual circumstances, replacing it may involve:

• A dental implant
• A bridge
• A partial denture
• Or, in some situations, leaving the space unrestored

Replacing a missing tooth can involve additional appointments, treatment and expense.

Root canal treatment provides an alternative when the natural tooth can be successfully treated and restored. Instead of removing the tooth and subsequently replacing it, the existing tooth can be retained and returned to function.

The most appropriate option will always depend on the condition and prognosis of the individual tooth.

7. It helps preserve the natural arrangement of your teeth

Every tooth contributes to the way your teeth come together and function.

When a tooth is lost, neighbouring teeth can sometimes move into the space, while the opposing tooth may also change position. The extent of these changes varies between individuals and depends on factors such as the location of the missing tooth and your existing bite.

By retaining the natural tooth, root canal treatment can help maintain the existing arrangement and function of your teeth.

This can also make it easier to maintain your normal bite and continue chewing comfortably.

8. It supports long-term oral health

Successful root canal treatment can allow a diseased tooth to remain part of your natural dentition for many years.

The long-term success of treatment depends on several factors, including:

• The condition of the tooth before treatment
• The complexity of the root canal system
• The quality of the root canal treatment
• The amount of healthy tooth structure remaining
• The quality and durability of the final restoration
• Your oral hygiene and general dental care

A root-filled tooth still needs to be looked after in the same way as your other teeth. Good brushing, daily cleaning between the teeth and regular dental examinations all remain important.

The importance of restoring the tooth properly

Root canal treatment is only one part of saving a tooth. Once the root canal system has been treated, the tooth needs to be adequately restored.

The appropriate restoration depends on the individual tooth. A tooth with substantial remaining structure may be suitable for a filling or onlay, while a heavily damaged tooth may benefit from a crown or another form of cuspal coverage.

This is important because a root-treated tooth can be more vulnerable to fracture when a significant amount of tooth structure has already been lost through decay, cracks, previous restorations or the treatment itself.

Your dentist will assess the remaining tooth structure and recommend the most appropriate way to protect it.

What to expect after root canal treatment

It is normal for the tissues around a treated tooth to feel tender for a short period after treatment. This should generally improve as the area settles.

You may notice:

• Mild tenderness
• Some discomfort when biting
• Sensitivity around the tooth
• Gradual improvement over the following days

Your dentist will give you specific advice depending on the treatment you have received and whether the final restoration has been placed.

Good oral hygiene remains important after treatment, including:

• Brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste
• Cleaning between your teeth every day
• Looking after any restoration according to your dentist’s advice
• Attending recommended follow-up appointments
• Having regular dental examinations

If pain or swelling becomes worse rather than gradually improving, contact your dentist for advice.

Can root canal treatment fail?

Root canal treatment is highly successful, but no dental treatment can be guaranteed to work in every case.

A tooth may sometimes develop persistent or recurrent infection after treatment. This can happen for a number of reasons, including complex or previously untreated anatomy, reinfection, cracks or problems with the restoration.

If a root-filled tooth does not heal as expected, your dentist may discuss further options. These could include monitoring, root canal re-treatment, surgical endodontic treatment or, where the tooth cannot be predictably saved, extraction.

This is why the condition of the tooth and its long-term prognosis are important when deciding whether root canal treatment is appropriate.

Common myths about root canal treatment

Myth: Root canal treatment only causes more pain

Root canal treatment is performed under local anaesthetic, and the aim is to treat the disease causing the pain. Some tenderness afterwards is possible, but the procedure itself should be comfortable when adequate anaesthesia has been achieved.

Myth: It is always better to remove the tooth

Not necessarily. If a tooth can be predictably treated and restored, preserving the natural tooth is often preferable to extraction.

Myth: A root-filled tooth always needs a crown

Not every tooth requires a crown. The appropriate restoration depends on the tooth, the amount of remaining structure and the forces it will be exposed to.

Myth: A root-filled tooth cannot last for very long

A successfully treated and properly restored tooth can remain functional for many years. Its long-term prognosis depends on the quality of treatment, the remaining tooth structure, the restoration and ongoing oral care.

Final thoughts

Root canal treatment offers an important way of treating disease inside a tooth while preserving the natural tooth wherever this is possible and predictable.

The benefits can include relieving dental pain, treating infection, restoring chewing function and avoiding the need to extract and replace a natural tooth.

The success of treatment depends on more than simply cleaning the root canals. The tooth must also have a suitable long-term prognosis and be properly restored and maintained afterwards.

At Inspired Dental Care in Exeter, Dr Amish Bhayani has a special interest in endodontics and provides root canal treatment for a range of cases. His additional postgraduate training in endodontics allows him to assess individual teeth carefully and discuss the most appropriate treatment options.

If you have been told that you need root canal treatment, or you are experiencing persistent toothache, sensitivity or pain when biting, an assessment can help establish the cause of the problem and whether the tooth can be predictably retained in the mouth.