Root canal treatment

The tooth is fully numbed first, and most people describe the appointment as similar to having a filling. The pain people associate with root canals is usually the infection beforehand, not the treatment. Sedation and general anaesthetic are available if you would rather not be aware of it. Both are quoted separately from the treatment fee.

An emergency first visit opens the tooth and dresses it, which is what settles the pain. That is not the whole root canal course — the rest is completed at later visits — so it is quoted as its own item and the course is quoted separately. You are quoted before anything starts. Outside business hours an attendance fee applies on top; ring the practice and reception will tell you what applies.

Yes. The first stage opens the tooth and dresses it, which is what settles the pain, and it is quoted as its own item. The rest of the course is completed at later appointments and quoted separately. Whether staging suits your tooth is decided at the assessment, not in advance.

The figure comes after the assessment. What drives it is how many canals the tooth has — a front tooth is simpler than a molar — whether the pain has to be settled at a first visit before the course is completed, and whether the tooth needs a crown afterwards. You are quoted in writing before anything starts, and HICAPS claims are processed on the spot.

Usually one to three, depending on the tooth and whether there is active infection. Molars have more canals and take longer. Your dentist will tell you which applies after looking at the tooth and an X-ray.

Both are valid. A root canal keeps your own tooth and the bone around it. An extraction is cheaper up front but leaves a gap that usually needs replacing later. Which is appropriate depends on how much sound tooth is left, and that is decided at an assessment.

Often yes, particularly on back teeth. A treated tooth is more brittle and a crown protects it from splitting. Front teeth sometimes do not need one. This is discussed as part of your treatment plan rather than decided afterwards.

Yes. A2ZDental has a specialist anaesthetist attending, with anaesthetically trained staff, so root canal treatment can be completed under GA in one session, and you go home the same day. The anaesthetist's fee is quoted separately by the anaesthetist's office, in addition to the cost of the dental treatment itself.