Dental clinic · Montreal and Outremont · Care
Root canal treatment in Montreal
A root canal, or endodontic treatment, removes the infected nerve inside a tooth, cleans and seals the canals, then closes it up. It's the procedure that lets you keep a tooth instead of losing it. Despite its reputation, it's done under local anaesthetic and the appointment itself isn't painful: what hurts is the infection that made it necessary. Our dentists perform root canals at the clinic in Outremont.
When a root canal becomes necessary
The pulp, at the core of the tooth, holds the nerve and blood vessels. When deep decay, a crack or a blow reaches it, it becomes infected or dies. Typical signs: pain that settles in and wakes you at night, lingering sensitivity to heat, a tooth that hurts under pressure, swollen gum beside the tooth, sometimes a small bump on the gum. A tooth can also die without any pain at all — it darkens, or the infection only shows on an X-ray. That's one reason recall exams matter.
How it works
The tooth is anaesthetised, then isolated with a rubber dam so the work stays dry and clean. The dentist opens the crown, removes the infected tissue, measures the length of the canals, cleans them with instruments and a disinfecting solution, then fills them with a sealing material. A premolar or incisor is often treated in a single visit of about an hour. A molar, with three or four sometimes curved canals, takes longer and is occasionally done over two appointments, with a temporary filling in between.
The crown, afterwards
A treated tooth has been emptied of its pulp and weakened: it grows brittle over time. For molars and premolars, which take the force of chewing, a crown is almost always recommended in the months that follow. That's what makes the treatment last. Skipping this step is the leading cause of long-term failure: the tooth holds for a few years, then splits, and at that point nothing conservative can save it. So the estimate we provide presents the root canal and the crown together, so you see the real cost of the complete treatment.
Pain, recovery and success rate
During the appointment you feel nothing but pressure. Afterwards the tooth stays tender under pressure for a few days while the inflammation around the root settles; an ordinary painkiller is enough in the large majority of cases. Root canal treatment has a high success rate, on the order of 85 to 95% long term when the tooth is properly restored afterwards. If it fails, retreatment or apical surgery remains possible before extraction is considered.
Your questions about our dental care.
Does a root canal hurt?
No. The appointment is done under local anaesthetic and you feel only pressure. The pain associated with root canals actually comes from the infection that made the treatment necessary — the treatment ends it. The tooth stays tender under pressure for a few days afterwards, which an ordinary painkiller relieves.
How long does a root canal take?
About an hour for an incisor or premolar, often in a single visit. A molar, with its three or four sometimes curved canals, takes longer and is sometimes split over two appointments a few days apart.
Do I always need a crown after a root canal?
Almost always for molars and premolars, which bear the load of chewing: a devitalised tooth turns brittle and fractures without protection. For a front tooth under less stress, a composite restoration is sometimes enough. Your dentist decides based on how much tooth structure remains.
Is a root canal covered by insurance?
Endodontics is covered by the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) for eligible patients, and by RAMQ for children under 10. Most private plans reimburse 50–80%, within the annual maximum. We bill electronically and provide a written estimate before starting.
Is it better to have a root canal or pull the tooth?
Keeping your natural tooth is preferable when possible: it preserves the bone around it and the balance of your bite. Extraction looks cheaper at the time, but replacing the tooth with an implant or bridge costs more. Extraction becomes the right call when the tooth is too broken down or fractured below the gum.