Root Canal Treatment

What is a root canal?

A root canal (endodontic therapy) is a dental treatment for infections in tooth pulp, the innermost layer of your teeth. Endodontists and dentists do about 15 million root canals in the United States every year. Often, you can avoid needing a root canal by taking care of your teeth.

Why would I need a root canal?

You may need a root canal if bacteria inside your mouth invade the pulp inside your tooth and cause inflammation (pulpitis). Your tooth pulp may come under bacterial attack if:

  • You have a deep cavity that needs treatment.
  • You have a cracked or damaged tooth, and bacteria from plaque infects your tooth pulp.

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What are signs I may need a root canal?

If you have an infected tooth, you may need root canal treatment to clear out the infection. You can have infected teeth without symptoms. When you have symptoms, they may include:

  • Tooth pain that doesn’t go away. Lots of things make your teeth hurt. But pain that’s deep in a tooth or that spreads to your jaw, face or other teeth may mean you have an infection.
  • Pressure hurts. If your tooth hurts when you eat or touch it, it may mean something damaged the nerves around your tooth pulp.


  • Swollen gums. If you have an infected tooth, your gums may swell or feel tender.
  • Pimple on your gums. Infected teeth can create pimples or boils on your gums that ooze smelly pus.
  • Swollen jaw. Your jaw may swell from pus that doesn’t drain away from your infected tooth.
  • Discolored tooth. Tooth pulp infection keeps blood from getting to your tooth. That makes your tooth turn dark..
  • Loose tooth. Pus from infected tooth pulp can soften the bones supporting your tooth, making your tooth feel loose.

What happens during root canals?

Before beginning treatment, your dentist or endodontist will take dental X-rays of the affected tooth. They may do other tests to determine if your tooth pulp is dead, infected or inflamed and confirm that you’ll need a root canal. They may:

  • Gently tap on your tooth or touch it with a cold or hot substance to check for sensitivity or discomfort.
  • Do an electric pulp test (EPT) by using a device that sends a gradually increasing electric current through your tooth to see if your tooth pulp reacts.
  • Check for signs of swelling in the gums and bone around your tooth.
  • Ask if it hurts when you bite down on your tooth.

What happens after a root canal?

Your provider may suggest you rest for a few minutes before leaving the dental clinic or provider’s office. It can take an hour or more for anesthesia to wear off, meaning your mouth and gums aren’t numb anymore. Some people decide to rest at home while that happens while others choose to go on with their usual daily routine.

Typically, you’ll have two more appointments so a provider can prepare your tooth for a dental crown and then place the crown on your tooth.