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A root canal treatment (RCT) or endodontic treatment is a procedure that dentists use to treat infected, or dead, teeth. A root canal procedure involves removing the dead or dying material, then ‘filling in’ the root canals inside the teeth. Without a root canal treatment, abscesses may form when the tissue around the tooth becomes infected.
A tooth becomes infected when bacteria enters the nerve (pulp) of the tooth. This can occur due to:
Usually, you will become aware of an infected tooth due to toothache – and you should visit your dentist for a check-up as soon as possible. If an infection is left untreated, this can lead to a dental abscess; which is a collection of pus in the bone underneath the infected tooth.
Root canal treatment (RCT) should be initiated as soon as possible after a tooth infection is diagnosed. Before your dentist commences RCT, your tooth will need to be x-rayed so that the anatomy of the root can be assessed. At this stage, your dentist may decide that the procedure would be best performed by a specialist endodontist.
Simple, single-rooted tooth RCT can be completed in about an hour, whilst multi-rooted teeth and more complex cases may take several dental visits to complete.
RCT is often performed under local anaesthetic on teeth, which are isolated from saliva and soft tissue by a sheet of rubber placed over the tooth called a ‘rubber dam’. Once the rubber dam is in place, your dentist will drill directly into the tooth to gain access to the root canal system in the centre. He will then look for the entrance to the root canal(s). Once all of the canals have been found, they are cleaned and shaped using various instruments. The length of the canal(s) is determined by x-rays and/or an electronic device.
The canals are then permanently filled to prevent bacteria from re-entering the canal system. A final x-ray will be taken to check that the canals have been filled completely and to the correct length.
Root-filled teeth are more likely to fracture than healthy teeth and you will usually require a crown to protect and reconstruct your tooth after the root canal treatment has been done.
After RCT, you may experience a little discomfort for a few days, but this should then disappear, leaving a tooth which feels normal, just like its neighbours.
Root canal treatment is an invasive form of treatment, so complications can occur during or after the procedure, reducing the chance of the treatment being successful. Root canal patients may be eligible to make a claim if their dentist:
When RCT has failed, immediate action is required to prevent the infection from worsening. Possible options include:
If you have had a root canal treatment and have been injured as a result, contact the expert dental negligence claim solicitors at the Dental Law Partnership today.
Yes, in some cases you can sue your dentist for a bad root canal treatment if the procedure was not performed to an acceptable standard, or if your dentist neglected their duty of care, resulting in unnecessary pain, harm and suffering. It may also be possible to claim compensation for loss of earnings, as well as for needless pain and any corrective procedures you may need to undertake. You may be able to claim compensation if your dentist:
A root canal is a routine procedure and is not considered dangerous. However, as with any kind of invasive treatment; a root canal treatment does carry risks. 9 out of 10 treatments go off without a hitch, but problems can occur; however, they are usually minor and are treatable. The main risks involved in undertaking a root canal procedure include:
As with most dental negligence claims, the amount of compensation that you may receive if your dentist has failed to perform your root canal treatment to a satisfactory standard will depend on the circumstances of your specific case.
At Dental Law Partnership, our team of expert dental negligence solicitors are on hand to help you with your root canal compensation claim at every step of the way; contact us today to get a failed root canal refund.
At the Dental Law Partnership, our cases are usually funded by a no win, no fee agreement. This means that even if your claim is unsuccessful, you will not pay any legal costs. Call us today on 0808 278 8202 for an initial, no obligation chat about your claim.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to put an exact time-frame on a root canal-related dental negligence compensation claim, as it can vary quite dramatically from case to case. There is a strict legal process that must be adhered to and many cases are settled before they reach court, meaning that a claim could take anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending on how your dentist responds to the claim and other aspects of the legal process, such as evidence gathering and gaining expert opinions. Click here for full details of the dental negligence claims process.