Does a Root Canal Hurt? What to Expect and Prices in Łódź

The procedure itself usually does not hurt. We carry out root canal treatment under local anaesthetic, so what you feel is mostly pressure and vibration. The pain people arrive with is far worse, and it usually eases once the inflamed pulp is out.

The pulp is the soft tissue inside the tooth, with its nerves and blood vessels. When inflammation or infection reaches it, the dentist removes it, cleans and disinfects the root canals and seals them. A well-treated, well-restored tooth can last for many years. The usual alternative is extraction, and then the gap still has to be filled.

When do you need a root canal?

Most often the cause is deep decay that has reached the pulp. Bacteria can also get in through a crack or a leaking old filling. Sometimes an old injury is to blame. Once the pulp is irreversibly inflamed or dead, a filling will not fix it. Left alone, the infection spreads around the root tip and can end in an abscess.

A tooth can be completely painless while the inflammation shows up only on an X-ray. That is why the dentist decides after an examination and an X-ray, not on symptoms alone.

iDenta dentist's tip: Patients often tell us a tooth ached badly for a few days, then went quiet, so they cancelled the appointment. That is not healing. Pain often stops when the pulp dies, while the infection keeps going. If severe toothache suddenly disappears, come in anyway.

How much does root canal treatment cost in Łódź?

The main factor is the number of canals. Front teeth usually have one, premolars one or two, molars three or four. Prices come from our price list, and the exact scope is set after an examination and X-ray.

Procedures that may be added

You rarely need all of them. It depends on the state of the tooth and whether it has been treated before.

Read more about pulp removal, the rubber dam and retreatment, or browse the root canal treatment section.

How many visits does it take?

Usually one or two. A single-canal tooth without infection can often be done in one go. With several canals, an abscess or a retreatment, the dentist leaves medication under a temporary filling and finishes next time, so it may take longer. You will know after the examination.

What happens after a root canal

Do not eat until the anaesthetic wears off, or you may bite your cheek or tongue. For the first 3–5 days the tooth may be tender when you bite. That is normal, and painkillers recommended by the dentist are usually enough. If the pain gets worse or swelling appears, call us straight away on +48 731 771 877.

A tooth with a temporary filling is fragile. Until the permanent restoration, keep nuts and hard crusts away from it.

A root-treated tooth has no pulp and has often lost much of its structure to decay and the access cavity. It becomes more brittle. Molars and premolars suffer most, since they take the heaviest chewing load.

A small defect can be closed with a composite restoration (at iDenta from 450 zł). For a badly damaged tooth, the dentist may place a post in the canal and then cover the tooth with a crown: porcelain-fused-to-metal from 1500 zł, or full-contour zirconia or E-MAX from 1800 zł. We usually recommend the permanent restoration within 1–2 months of treatment. A follow-up X-ray may come later.

iDenta dentist's tip: The most common mistake we see is putting off the restoration because the tooth no longer hurts. A temporary filling is not built to last. Over time it leaks and lets bacteria back into the canals, and the tooth itself can crack during ordinary chewing. Book the permanent restoration at your last treatment visit.

Not every tooth can be saved. With a vertical root fracture or major bone loss, the dentist may suggest extraction and talk you through ways to fill the gap. Wisdom teeth are often hard to treat this way (see our article on wisdom tooth removal).