Dentistry

With modern anaesthesia, a root canal should feel comparable to a filling. Most discomfort patients remember comes from the infection before treatment, not the procedure itself. Soreness for a few days afterwards is normal and manageable.

With a proper restoration, usually a crown, a root-canal-treated tooth can last as long as any other tooth. The two biggest factors are how quickly the tooth is permanently restored and how well it is maintained.

Curved or calcified canals, retreatments, uncertain diagnoses, and cracked teeth are the classic referral triggers. A good rule: refer when the case keeps you up at night. That instinct is usually right.