Care
Root canal care and extractions
When a tooth is infected or badly damaged: what saving it with root canal treatment involves, and when removal may be considered instead.
Availability to be confirmed Clinical review pending
Illustrative content for family and clinician review. Service availability and the actual patient experience have not been confirmed. This page does not describe a treatment as available at the practice. A clinician decides what is suitable for each person, and individual costs and appointment schedules are not yet known.
When the inside of a tooth is infected or a tooth is badly damaged, there are usually two broad routes: try to save the tooth, often with root canal treatment, or remove it. Which is right depends on a clinical assessment of that tooth and on what matters to you.
Root canal care
What it is
Inside each tooth is soft tissue called the pulp. When the pulp becomes infected or badly damaged, through deep decay, a crack or an abscess for example, root canal treatment aims to remove the infection from inside the tooth, clean and shape the root canals, and seal them so the tooth can be kept.
Why people ask about it
People ask about it when they have lingering pain with hot or cold, pain when biting, a swelling on the gum, a tooth that has darkened, or when a dentist has seen signs of infection on an X-ray.
What assessment may involve
The dentist examines the tooth, usually takes X-rays, and may carry out simple tests to judge whether the pulp is healthy, inflamed or has died. They also consider whether the tooth can be restored well afterwards, because that decides whether saving it is realistic.
Common approaches and alternatives
Treatment is carried out under local anaesthetic and commonly takes two or more appointments. Afterwards the tooth needs a lasting restoration, and a crown is often recommended if the tooth was badly weakened. It is common for the area to feel sore for a while after treatment.
The main alternative is removing the tooth, which then raises the question of whether, and how, to replace it.
Questions to ask a clinician
- Can this tooth be saved, and what are its prospects?
- How many visits do you expect?
- Will I need a crown afterwards?
- What would happen if I chose removal instead?
Important to know. Not every tooth can be saved. Whether root canal treatment is appropriate depends on the tooth, the extent of the infection and how much sound tooth remains.
Extractions
What it is
An extraction is the removal of a tooth. It may be considered when a tooth is too badly damaged or infected to repair, when advanced gum disease has loosened it, when a wisdom tooth keeps causing problems, or occasionally as part of orthodontic planning.
Why people ask about it
People ask about extraction when a tooth is very painful, broken below the gum, loose, or when they have been told a tooth can't be saved.
What assessment may involve
Before removal, the dentist assesses the tooth and surrounding bone, usually with an X-ray, and reviews your medical history and medicines, as some (blood thinners, for example) need particular care. Where saving the tooth is a realistic alternative, it should be discussed first.
Common approaches and alternatives
Many extractions are carried out under local anaesthetic; more complex cases, such as some wisdom teeth, may be referred. After removal a blood clot forms in the socket, and aftercare advice usually covers protecting that clot, eating on the other side, keeping the area clean and knowing when to seek help.
It is worth talking before the extraction about whether the gap might later be replaced, and how.
Questions to ask a clinician
- Is removal the only realistic option, or could the tooth be saved?
- Is there anything about my health or medicines you need to know first?
- What aftercare will I need, and what signs mean I should come back?
- Will the gap affect my bite, and what are the options for replacing it?
Important to know. Removal is permanent. Recovery varies from person to person, and a gap can affect neighbouring teeth and your bite over time.
Sources and review
Drafted from the sources below, which describe UK and US practice. Clinical review pending: a named clinician must review this page, including how the guidance applies under local requirements and practice, before it can appear on the clinic's official website.
- NHS: Root canal treatment (page last reviewed 3 October 2025; checked 26 September 2026)
- NHS: Dental treatments (page last reviewed 8 July 2026; checked 26 September 2026)
- NHS: Dental abscess (page last reviewed 18 March 2026; checked 26 September 2026)