What is root canal treatment?
Root canal treatment — endodontic treatment, or simply RCT — saves a tooth whose inner nerve and blood supply have become infected or irreversibly inflamed. Instead of removing the tooth, we remove the diseased tissue from inside it, disinfect and seal the canals, and then protect the tooth with a crown so it can carry on working for many more years.
Every tooth has a hollow chamber running from the crown down through the roots, containing soft tissue called the pulp — nerves and blood vessels. When deep decay, a crack or trauma lets bacteria reach the pulp, it becomes infected. That infection does not resolve on its own, and it is what causes the classic, unforgettable toothache that keeps people awake at night.
At Mera Dental Clinic in Delhi, most root canals are completed in a single sitting, and the entire procedure is done under local anaesthesia — meaning it does not hurt.
Signs you may need a root canal
- Severe, spontaneous toothache — pain that starts on its own, without you biting or drinking anything.
- Pain that wakes you at night or worsens when you lie down.
- Lingering sensitivity to hot or cold — pain that continues for a minute or more after the stimulus is removed.
- Pain on biting or when the tooth is tapped.
- A swollen face or gum, or a pimple-like bump on the gum that discharges.
- A tooth that has darkened compared to its neighbours.
- A deep cavity or a large old filling in a tooth that has begun to ache.
- A cracked or broken tooth exposing the inner tissue.
- Bad taste that keeps returning around one tooth.
One thing worth knowing: pain stopping is not good news. When a severe toothache suddenly disappears, it often means the nerve has died. The infection is still there and will spread into the bone — it has simply stopped being able to signal pain. Get it checked.
Why save the tooth at all?
Patients often ask why they should not simply have the tooth pulled, which sounds cheaper and faster. Because losing a tooth starts a chain of consequences:
- Neighbouring teeth drift into the gap and the opposing tooth over-erupts, disturbing the whole bite.
- Bone shrinks where the root used to be, changing facial support over time.
- Chewing efficiency drops, and the other side takes the load.
- Replacing it costs more. A dental implant or bridge is a bigger, longer and more expensive undertaking than saving what you already have.
Nothing functions quite like your own tooth. If it can be saved predictably, saving it is nearly always the better decision.
The root canal procedure, step by step
- Diagnosis and X-ray. We test the tooth's response and take an X-ray to see the root anatomy, the extent of infection and any spread into the surrounding bone.
- Local anaesthesia. The tooth and surrounding tissue are fully numbed. A topical gel goes on first so the injection is barely felt. From this point you should feel pressure and movement, but no pain.
- Isolation with a rubber dam. A thin sheet isolates the tooth, keeping it dry and preventing saliva and bacteria from re-contaminating the canals. It also stops anything from reaching your throat.
- Access opening. A small opening is made through the biting surface to reach the pulp chamber.
- Removing the infected pulp. Fine instruments remove the diseased tissue from the pulp chamber and every canal.
- Cleaning and shaping. The canals are shaped with rotary files and disinfected with irrigating solutions that reach the microscopic branches instruments cannot. This is the step that decides success.
- Measuring canal length. An apex locator and X-ray confirm we clean and fill to precisely the correct depth — not short, not beyond the root tip.
- Filling and sealing. The dried canals are filled with a biocompatible material called gutta-percha and sealed so bacteria cannot re-enter.
- Restoring the tooth. The access opening is sealed. In most cases a crown follows, because a root-treated back tooth is brittle and needs full cusp protection.
Does a root canal hurt?
This is the reputation the procedure has never quite shaken, and it deserves a direct answer: a root canal relieves pain — it does not cause it.
The agony people associate with root canals is the agony of the infected tooth before treatment. During the procedure the tooth is fully anaesthetised, and most patients report it feels much like having a filling. Many are surprised at how ordinary it is, and quite a few doze off.
Afterwards, expect mild tenderness for a few days, particularly when biting, as the ligament around the root settles. Ordinary painkillers handle it comfortably. If pain is severe or increasing rather than fading, call us — that is not expected and we would want to see you.
Why some root canals need two visits
Most cases are done in one sitting. A second visit is sometimes better when there is active pus discharge, a large abscess, severe infection needing intermediate medication, or unusually complex canal anatomy. If your case needs two visits, we will explain why rather than simply booking you back in.
Why a crown usually follows
A root-treated tooth has lost its internal blood supply and typically has a large cavity or fracture to begin with. It becomes noticeably more brittle, and back teeth take heavy biting force. Without full coverage, a vertical fracture can split the root — and a root-fractured tooth cannot be saved, no matter how well the root canal was done.
For that reason we strongly recommend a crown on root-treated molars and premolars. Some front teeth with small access openings and plenty of remaining structure can be restored with a filling instead. We will tell you which applies to your tooth and why.
How long does a root-treated tooth last?
Root canal treatment has a high success rate, and a properly treated and crowned tooth can last for decades — often for life. Factors that influence it:
- How soon it was treated. Early treatment, before extensive bone infection, does better.
- Quality of cleaning and sealing. The core of the treatment.
- Prompt crown placement. Delaying the crown for months is one of the commonest reasons treated teeth fail.
- How much healthy tooth remains.
- Your oral hygiene. A root-treated tooth cannot get toothache again, but it can absolutely decay at the margins and develop gum disease around it.
Occasionally a previously treated tooth becomes reinfected. Retreatment — reopening, recleaning and resealing the canals — can often still save it.
Aftercare after root canal treatment
- Do not chew until the numbness wears off, usually two to three hours.
- Avoid biting hard on that tooth until the permanent crown or final filling is placed — a temporarily restored tooth can fracture.
- Take painkillers as advised for the first day or two if tender.
- Complete any prescribed antibiotics in full if you were given them.
- Brush and floss normally, including around the treated tooth.
- Return promptly for your crown. This is the single most important instruction on this list.
- Call us if swelling appears or increases, pain worsens after several days, or the temporary filling comes out.
Cost of root canal treatment
Cost depends on which tooth is involved — front teeth have a single canal, premolars usually one or two, molars three or four — and on whether retreatment or additional procedures are needed. The crown is quoted separately. We give you the complete figure for the whole plan before starting, so you know the total, not just the first stage. Your first consultation and X-ray are free, and EMI is available on larger treatments. Call +91 98912 42043 for current pricing.
Why choose Mera Dental for root canal treatment
Root canal treatment is a precision procedure, and outcomes depend heavily on care taken at every step. At Mera Dental, treatment is led by Dr. Naseem Ashraf, with over twenty years of clinical experience — read more on our about us page.
- Single-sitting treatment wherever it is clinically appropriate.
- Genuinely painless — proper anaesthesia, unhurried technique, and patience with anxious patients.
- Rubber dam isolation and thorough irrigation as standard, because shortcuts here cause failures later.
- Strict sterilisation for every patient.
- Honest advice — if a tooth genuinely cannot be saved, we tell you rather than charging for treatment that will fail.
- Same-day emergency appointments usually available for dental pain.
Frequently asked questions
Is a root canal painful?
No. The tooth is fully numbed with local anaesthesia and the procedure feels much like having a filling. The severe pain people associate with root canals comes from the infected tooth beforehand — the treatment is what relieves it.
How many visits does a root canal take?
Most are completed in a single sitting of about 45 to 90 minutes. A second visit may be needed for severe infection, active pus discharge or complex canal anatomy.
Do I really need a crown afterwards?
For back teeth, almost always. A root-treated tooth becomes brittle and can fracture vertically under chewing force, and a fractured root cannot be saved. The crown protects your investment in the tooth.
Can I just have the tooth pulled instead?
You can, but replacing a missing tooth with an implant or bridge costs more and takes longer than saving your own. Extraction also leads to drifting teeth and bone loss, so we recommend it only when the tooth genuinely cannot be saved.
My toothache stopped on its own. Am I fine?
Probably not. Pain often stops because the nerve has died, not because the problem has resolved. The infection continues silently into the bone and can form an abscess. Please have it checked.
How long does a root-treated tooth last?
With a well-fitted crown and good oral hygiene, often for decades. Success rates are high when treatment is thorough and the crown is placed promptly.
Will the tooth discolour?
Root-treated front teeth can darken over time. This can be treated with internal bleaching or covered with a veneer or crown as part of a smile makeover.
Can a root-treated tooth get decay again?
Yes. It can no longer feel toothache, but it can still decay at the margins and develop gum disease around it — so it still needs brushing, flossing and regular checkups.
Is root canal treatment safe during pregnancy?
Yes, and treating an active infection is safer than leaving it. The second trimester is most comfortable. Tell us you are pregnant so we can adapt X-rays and medication.
What if a previous root canal has failed?
Retreatment is often possible — reopening the tooth, removing the old filling material, recleaning and resealing the canals. We will assess whether retreatment or another option gives the better outcome.
In pain? Book today
Severe toothache rarely waits, and neither should you. We keep same-day slots available for dental pain, and your first consultation and X-ray are free.
Call +91 98912 42043 or book online. Open Monday to Saturday 9 AM to 8 PM, Sunday 10 AM to 2 PM.