When the nerve inside a tooth becomes infected or an abscess forms, root canal treatment addresses the infection at its source and saves the tooth from extraction — performed gently, under full local anaesthesia, at your pace.
You'll know each step — and its cost — before we begin. No surprises.
Nothing starts until the tooth is completely numb under full local anaesthesia — and until you've had everything explained in plain English. Then the infected or diseased nerve, the source of the pain, is gently removed. If you're anxious about this appointment, tell us when you book; a calm, stress-free visit is the whole point of how we work.
The fine canals inside the root are carefully cleaned and disinfected. This is unhurried, meticulous work — one reason treatment typically spans three appointments rather than being squeezed into a single long one.
“Very professional dentist! I feel very comfortable and relaxed.”
Once the canals are clean, they're sealed to protect the inside of the tooth. From here the tooth no longer has a live nerve — which is exactly why it stops being the tooth that keeps you up at night.
Finally the tooth is restored — with a filling, or a crown where more protection is needed. We'll lay out the honest case for each, with the cost in writing, before anything is decided.
The tooth is fully numbed with modern local anaesthetic before anything begins, and we don't start until it is. Much of what people fear about root canals belongs to an earlier era of dentistry. If you're nervous, tell us — we'll go at your pace, not ours.
The canals inside a tooth are fine and intricate, and cleaning and disinfecting them properly can't be rushed. Spreading the work over three visits lets each stage — removing the nerve, disinfecting the canals, sealing and restoring — be done gently and thoroughly, and keeps each appointment comfortable.
Extraction is the alternative, and sometimes it's a reasonable one. But nothing works quite like your own tooth, and a gap left behind can let neighbouring teeth drift and change your bite over time. We'll lay out both options honestly, with costs — and if extraction genuinely is the better choice for your tooth, we'll say so.
Not always. The final step is restoring the tooth with either a filling or a crown. A crown is often recommended for a tooth weakened by root canal treatment, because it protects what remains of the natural tooth long term — but we'll recommend whichever your tooth honestly needs, and explain why.
Every tooth is different, so we don't publish one-size-fits-all prices. You'll receive a quote in writing before treatment begins, and we'll always talk cost before we treat — no surprises partway through.
Call us on (03) 9560 2702. We keep emergency appointments open every day and aim to fit you in as quickly as possible — a toothache that keeps you up at night counts. Our emergency care page explains what to do in the meantime.
“We'll always tell you when treatment isn't needed.”
Dr Michael Sawaya
Dr Barry Kave
