Root Canal: Procedures, pricing and more

Dentists always do their best to keep teeth alive, but when one of them is really damaged, they have no choice but to devitalize it. This allows to desensitize it and to cut short all the pains. It can then be cut to serve as a base for a prosthesis, such as a crown.

What is a root canal?

To devitalize a tooth, the dentist intervenes on the root canal to eliminate the nerve and vascular endings of the pulp tissue that innervate it. These are the source of the tooth's sensitivity; once removed, the tooth becomes insensitive.

All teeth can be devitalised, after a local anaesthetic to avoid pain to the patient.

Why devitalize a tooth

A tooth must be devitalized when its nerve has been damaged, either as a result of an impact or because the tooth is too spoiled and can no longer be treated with a simple amalgam.

In the event of an accident, a tooth can be broken and reveal the pulp which is in its heart and which represents its living part. When a cavity is not treated in time, the infection, after having eaten away the enamel, then the dentin, reaches the pulp.

You may also suffer from tooth enamel failure, which is often hereditary. This means that your enamel wears away prematurely and your tooth becomes ultra-sensitive. It reacts to everything, cold, hot, air, which is unbearable. Veneers can be placed to protect the tooth, but since the tooth is also more susceptible to bacterial attack, it often ends up being devitalized because it is too decayed.

In all cases, the pain is unbearable and infection is inevitable. Devitalization is then the only way out. It stops any proliferation of bacteria that could nestle in the root and form an abscess.

A devitalization is definitive. It must be done correctly, otherwise the living part that would remain could generate small abscesses in the form of granulomas, which would imply repeating the treatment.

How the root canal is performed

During a root canal procedure, the dentist always starts with a local anesthetic to ensure that you will not feel any pain.

The dentist removes amalgams and decayed areas, depending on the condition of your tooth. He will then trim it to access its heart and its root canal which leads to the root. The practitioner evides the tooth to remove all the living part: pulp, root and nerve.

Everything must then be thoroughly disinfected, before a tight filling is made to protect the tooth from bacterial invasion. An X-ray allows us to verify that the work is perfectly clean and that the devitalization is complete.

The devitalization is normally done in one session. When the anesthetized part of your jaw wakes up in the next few hours, you may feel some pain.

It is no longer your tooth, since it no longer has nerve endings, but the tissue around it may have been damaged during the operation. A paracetamol tablet will quickly stop the pain. If the pain persists the next day, you should make another appointment with your dentist, as this is not normal.

You may also suffer from a few headaches that should pass quickly.

The installation of a prosthesis

The devitalization of a tooth is often followed by the installation of a prosthesis. This helps to restore normal teeth. It is usually a crown, with or without a post, depending on what is left of your natural tooth.

It will take another one or two sessions to take your impression (if not done before) and to place the crown.

What does a root canal cost?

The devitalization of a tooth is covered by the health insurance at 70% of the basic rate. Depending on the tooth you need to have a root canal, the price is different:

• incisor or canine : 33,74 €, reimbursed 23,61 € ;
• bicuspid: 48,20 €, reimbursed 33,74 €;
• molar: 81,94 €, reimbursed 57,35 €.

Many dentists charge higher fees. You should therefore request a quote and send it to your complementary health insurance company to find out what you will have to pay.

The price of a root canal is often reasonable, but it is for the dental prosthesis that the prices can soar. You must therefore include the entire cost of care in your budget: root canalization, impressions, fabrication of the prosthesis, fitting and all necessary consultations.