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Root canal treatment aims to retain a tooth with inflamed or infected pulp. Local anaesthetic and other appropriate options can help manage discomfort. Tell the dental team if you experience pain.
Inside every tooth is a chamber containing nerve and blood vessels, called the pulp. When decay, a crack or trauma allows bacteria to reach the pulp, it becomes inflamed and then infected. Because the chamber is enclosed by hard tooth structure, the swelling has nowhere to go, which is why the pain can be severe.
Root canal treatment aims to salvage a tooth’s hard tissues while removing the inflamed or infected pulp by cleaning, disinfecting and filling its root canal system. Infection can persist or return. Alternatives may include extraction, with discussion of replacement options, or other treatment if suitable.
Most root canal treatment is carried out by general dentists, including the dentists at Civic Gentle Dental Care. Some cases are more complex, for example teeth with curved or blocked canals, a previous root canal that needs redoing, or a tooth that is hard to reach. In those cases your dentist may recommend referral to an endodontist, a registered specialist in root canal treatment, and will explain why.
Either way, the first step is an examination and x-ray so your dentist can see the tooth and its roots. An emergency exam is $70 to $110, plus x-rays at $52 each as needed. If you’re in pain, see our emergency dentist page.
Read more: root canal cost in Canberra for front teeth, premolars and molars.
Civic Gentle Dental Care is at Suite 8, Level 3/161 London Circuit, Canberra City, within walking distance of the light rail and the City bus interchange. Most patients park at the Canberra Centre. We are open Monday to Thursday 9am to 6pm and Friday 9am to 5pm, and we see patients from across the ACT, including Gungahlin and Belconnen.
We claim on the spot with HICAPS, and we are an NIB First Choice and Westfund Provider of Choice practice. See our health fund page. Interest-free payment plans are available, subject to approval.
Root canal therapy is indicated where the pulp is irreversibly inflamed or infected.
Treatment is usually completed over one or two appointments, depending on the tooth.
Examination and X-ray establish which tooth is responsible, the shape of the canal system and the extent of infection.
A local anaesthetic is administered to completely numb the tooth and surrounding area. A small, protective sheet called a “dental dam” is placed to keep the tooth clean and dry during the procedure.
An access opening is made, the infected pulp removed, and the canals cleaned, disinfected and shaped with fine instruments.
Once thoroughly disinfected, the canals are filled with a biocompatible sealing material and the access sealed.
A tooth that has had root canal therapy is more brittle, having lost internal structure and its blood supply. Back teeth in particular fracture without protection, so a crown is usually recommended.
We review the tooth and monitor healing at the root over subsequent visits.
Root canal treatment may help retain a tooth in suitable cases. The tooth will need an appropriate restoration and review, and further treatment or extraction may sometimes be necessary.
Possible Risks:
Recovery and Aftercare:
Anterior teeth — $1,200 to $1,300
Premolars — $1,500 to $1,600
Molars — $1,800 to $2,000
The price varies with the number of roots present within the tooth, which is why front teeth sit at the lower end of the range and molars at the upper end.
This price excludes the final restoration of the tooth. Afterwards the tooth needs either a filling ($209 to $450) or, on molars and premolars, a porcelain crown (from $1,800). That restoration is quoted separately, and we set out the cost of both stages before you begin so there is no surprise at the second appointment.
Complex cases may be referred to an endodontic specialist, whose fees are separate. This price guide is an estimate only and not a final quote. All quotes are valid for 6 months and subject to change after that period.
Access our detailed price guide to understand the investment in your dental care options.
Root canal treatment at Civic Gentle Dental Care ranges from $1,200 to $2,000: front (anterior) teeth $1,200 to $1,300, premolars $1,500 to $1,600 and molars $1,800 to $2,000. The price varies with the number of roots in the tooth and excludes the final restoration, which is either a filling or a crown.
Local anaesthetic and other appropriate options can help manage discomfort during treatment. Tell the team if you feel pain.
Tenderness, pain or swelling may occur during or after treatment. Persistent or worsening symptoms need review. Follow the clinician’s instructions about pain relief and completing treatment.
Usually one or two, depending on the tooth and the extent of infection. Front teeth have a single canal and are more straightforward; molars have three or four with sometimes complex anatomy.
On molars and premolars, in almost all cases. The tooth has lost internal structure and its blood supply, which makes it brittle, and a fracture through the root usually means losing it.
The crown is a separate treatment and quoted separately.
The infection does not resolve. It typically progresses to an abscess at the root tip, which can cause facial swelling and can spread.
Facial swelling with fever, difficulty swallowing or difficulty opening the mouth is a medical emergency requiring immediate hospital care, not a dental appointment.
Choosing Civic Gentle Dental Care standard means partnering with a practice built on extensive clinical experience and an unwavering commitment to patient well-being.
Our dedicated team crafts fully personalised treatment plans, combining modern, evidence-based techniques with the precision of our specialised in-house ceramic laboratory. We are dedicated to delivering exceptional aesthetic and functional outcomes for your smile, ensuring your entire experience is gentle, transparent, and completely professional.
We offer interest-free payment plans to help make your treatment more manageable.
*Subject to finance approval, fees and charged
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Usually required after root canal therapy on back teeth.
The alternative where a tooth cannot be saved.
For acute pain or swelling that cannot wait.
Where decay is caught before the nerve is involved.
In significant pain?
Call Civic Gentle Dental Care in Canberra City on (02) 6247 0224. We will do our best to see you the same day.
