The damage to the pulp may have been caused by deep decay, cracks in the tooth, trauma or repeated dental procedures. If the tooth is not treated the pain may persist, an abscess may develop which can be even more painful and debilitating. In the event where there was no pain, the infection can increase in size making the subsequent treatment more difficult.

Contrary to popular belief, root canal treatments should not be painful. The aim is not to cause pain but to relieve it. Dr Browne uses the most effective anaesthetic techniques to make sure you feel nothing during the entire procedure.

After the treatment has been completed, the tooth may feel a little tender or uncomfortable to bite on for a few days. Occasionally (5% incidence) a “flare-up” can occur which can give rise to significant pain &/or swelling. Should this occur the acute symptoms are usually treated with antibiotics and anti-inflammatories (painkillers). A flare up is an unfortunate and rare occurrence and does not affect thelong-term success of the treatment. If a flare up does occur each patient receives clear instructions on how to manage it and will also receive an emergency mobile number to contact out of hours.

Root canal treatment is a very successful treatment when performed to a high standard. However, it is important to remember that it is impossible to guarantee the success of any medical procedure. Even with the very best treatment, healing may not occur due to circumstances beyond the control of the clinician. For teeth without an abscess or an established infection, root canal treatment enjoys a very high rate of success (90%-95% survival at 10-15 years). Once a tooth has become infected the success rate can diminish with the increasing size of the abscess. Success in these cases could be quoted at 70%-85% survival at 10-15 years. 

Re-treatments (doing a root canal treatment for a second time) have a slightly lower success rate, however 80% is a reasonable expectation.

While not all teeth discolour following root treatment it is reasonable to expect some slight alteration in colour of the tooth following root canal treatment, particularly where a front tooth is involved. Colour change may be already present due to a number of factors including amalgam fillings or trauma. Post treatment discolouration may be caused by the root filling materials in the visible portion of the tooth. All steps are taken to try and reduce the chances of this happening. It is also important to note that discolouration following trauma may take months or even years to develop.

If the discoloration proves to be a problem, there are a number of procedures which can be undertaken to improve the colour and appearance dependent on the type and severity of the discolouration. These include Internal Bleaching, Veneers and Crowns.

This can vary according to the complexity of the root canals, the presence of infection, or if re- treatment is being carried out. Sometimes treatment can be carried out in one session lasting between one to two hours. If the canals are heavily infected or are being re-treated, Dr Browne usually treats these teeth over two visits. In these cases, an anti-bacterial dressing is placed in the canals and the tooth is sealed for a period of at least a week and then the treatment is generally completed a second visit.

Unfortunately, the only predictable alternative to root canal treatment is extraction of the tooth. Once the pulp is irreversibly inflamed or infected, the tooth will not heal spontaneously. Antibiotics and Analgesics may temporarily alleviate symptoms, but they will not permanently resolve the problem.

An apicectomy is the surgical removal of the infected root apex or tip of the root followed by the the placement of an apical or root end filling.

1. If the infection fails to clear following a conventional root treatment and redoing retreatment looks very challenging because of complicated root anatomy or previous procedural difficulties, then a surgical approach may be justified.
2. If there is a well-fitting and intact crown/bridge retained by a post & core, then the surgical approach may be justified to resolve this problem so as to avoid the difficulty and expense of having to replace the crowns/bridges.
3. In a certain number of cases there may be a peri-apical cyst associated with the tooth. These cases first need to be treated with conventional root treatment and then followed by a surgical approach to remove the peri-apical cyst.