When would you need a root canal?
- Toothache that lingers, or pain when you chew or bite
- Sensitivity to hot or cold that stays after the food is gone
- Swollen or tender gums near one tooth, or a pimple-like bump on the gum
- A tooth that has turned darker
- A cracked or deeply decayed tooth
- A tooth that keeps hurting after repeated dental work
A cavity or a gum problem can cause the same symptoms, so the dentist examines the tooth first. Some infected teeth cause no pain and show up only on an X-ray, taken when the dentist decides you need one after your history and exam.
What causes tooth pulp infection?
Tooth pulp becomes infected when bacteria get inside the tooth. The common routes are:
- Deep cavities that reach the nerve
- Cracks or fractures in the tooth
- An injury to the tooth
- Large or leaking fillings
- Decay left untreated over time
Infected pulp does not heal on its own. It has to come out through root canal therapy or by removing the tooth. Left alone, the infection can form an abscess and spread into the jawbone.
Do not wait six months for a root canal the dentist has advised. Cleveland Clinic says not to wait if you have swelling and pain. Treatment aims to relieve the pain, save the tooth and stop the infection spreading.
What happens during a root canal?
A root canal follows the same core steps on every tooth, as the Canadian Dental Association describes them:
- The dentist numbs the tooth and gum with local anaesthetic, known as freezing.
- A thin rubber sheet called a dental dam keeps saliva away from the tooth.
- The dentist makes a small opening in the tooth to reach the pulp.
- Fine instruments remove the pulp and clean and shape each canal.
- The canals are disinfected and then sealed with a rubber-like filling material.
- A temporary or permanent filling closes the opening.
Treatment takes one or more appointments, depending on the tooth and the infection. The dentist then recommends what comes next to restore the tooth.
Does a root canal hurt?
The tooth is numbed before treatment starts, so you should not feel pain during the procedure. You will feel pressure. Tell the dentist straight away if anything hurts and they can add more freezing.
Pain scores differ from person to person, so no single number on a scale of 1 to 10 fits everyone. Cleveland Clinic says a root canal is usually no more painful than getting a filling.
Nervous about dental work? Tell the team before your visit so they can talk you through your options.
What are the benefits of root canal therapy?
Root canal therapy aims to remove the infection and keep your own tooth in place. Once the tooth is restored, the goal is to:
- Stop the pain caused by infected pulp
- Keep your natural tooth instead of a gap or an artificial tooth
- Keep nearby teeth from drifting out of line
- Let you chew normally again
- Stop the infection spreading into the jawbone
What are the risks of a root canal?
The main risk is that the tooth can still fail. Most root canal treatments succeed, according to the Canadian Dental Association. Some teeth still need more treatment or cannot be saved.
- The infection may not clear or may come back. The tooth then needs a second root canal, root canal surgery or removal.
- A treated tooth can crack, and a back tooth left without a crown is most at risk.
- The tooth can still get a cavity or gum disease.
- The tooth can feel sore for a week or two after treatment.
Root canal therapy does not suit every tooth. If too little of the tooth is left to rebuild, or the gum and bone support is weak, the dentist may advise removing it instead.
Is it worth paying for a root canal?
For a tooth the dentist can restore, a successful root canal lets you keep your natural tooth. Replacing a removed tooth later with a bridge, an implant or a denture adds cost and treatment, so ask for estimates for both paths.
A simple extraction costs less on the day, going by published prices at other Vaughan and Toronto-area clinics. A bridge or an implant to fill the gap later costs several times the price of a front-tooth root canal.
| Question | Root canal therapy | Removing the tooth |
|---|---|---|
| What follows | A filling or a crown | A gap, or a bridge, implant or denture |
| Main downside | The tooth can still fail | Nearby teeth can drift into the gap |
| When it is the wrong choice | Too little tooth is left, or support is weak | The tooth can be restored and you want to keep it |
| Cost to compare | The root canal plus the restoration | The extraction plus any replacement later |
What makes one root canal treatment harder than another?
Root canal treatment gets harder as the canals get harder to reach. Molars have more canals than front teeth, and some canals are narrow or curved. A tooth treated before takes more work too.
When do you need a crown after a root canal?
You need a crown after a root canal when too little strong tooth is left to take your bite. Chewing puts a great deal of force on back teeth, so a treated premolar or molar will likely need one, according to the Canadian Dental Association. My City Dental provides root canal therapy and crowns in the same office.
A front tooth with enough structure left can take a filling instead. Where little tooth remains, a post in the root helps hold the crown. The dentist explains dental crowns and the other options for your tooth. The crown and any post are separate fees from the root canal.
What is recovery like after root canal treatment?
Recovery after root canal treatment in Vaughan is short for most people. The freezing wears off over several hours, so take care not to bite your lip, cheek or tongue until then. An adult should watch a child until the numbness wears off.
- Chew on the other side until the tooth is fully restored.
- Do not bite hard food on a temporary filling.
- Keep brushing and flossing around the tooth.
Tenderness usually fades within a week or two. Call the clinic if pain is not better within 48 hours, if it gets worse, if new swelling appears or if a temporary filling falls out. How long numbness lasts depends on the freezing used. If it lasts past the time the freezing should wear off, call promptly.
Call 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department if you have trouble breathing or swallowing, swelling that spreads toward your eye or neck, fever with facial swelling, or bleeding that will not stop.
For a dental problem that cannot wait, our emergency dentist page explains emergency same-day care when available.
How much does a root canal in Vaughan cost?
A root canal on a front tooth costs about $600 to $1,000, based on published prices at other Vaughan and Toronto-area clinics. Your own cost comes in a written estimate after an exam.
That range is for the root canal alone. Premolars and molars cost more because they have more canals to clean and seal. The price of dental root canal treatment in Vaughan depends on:
- Which tooth it is: front tooth, premolar or molar
- How many canals it has and how hard they are to reach
- How severe the infection is and whether the tooth was treated before
- The filling, crown or post the tooth needs afterwards
Check what a quote far above this range includes. A molar, a retreatment, a post and a crown each add to the total, so ask for each part listed in your written estimate.
My City Dental offers direct insurance billing. Ask the team about payment options.
Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) accepted. The CDCP can cover root canal treatment when the tooth meets the plan's rules. Coverage depends on the service and your eligibility. Some services need preauthorization, including retreatment and crowns.
Root canal questions people ask
Can I get a root canal right away?
Whether treatment starts at your first visit depends on the diagnosis, the tooth and the time available. The dentist examines the tooth first and recommends what comes next.
My City Dental offers emergency same-day care when available, plus evening and weekend appointments. Call as soon as pain or swelling starts, because an infected tooth does not heal on its own.
Is a root canal covered by an Ontario dental plan?
Private dental plans in Ontario set their own coverage for root canals. That includes the share they pay, a yearly maximum and any waiting period.
Ask the team to send a predetermination before treatment. It is an estimate of what your plan may pay, not a promise. You pay any part your plan does not cover.
Is root canal treatment a type of dental surgery?
Standard root canal treatment is not surgery. The dentist works inside the tooth through a small opening.
Root canal surgery is a separate procedure for cases where regular treatment cannot be done or has not worked. The Canadian Dental Association lists its uses: checking the root end for cracks, removing parts of the root that could not be cleaned, and clearing an infection that did not heal.