Root Canal Treatment in Seoul
A root canal removes infected or inflamed nerve tissue, cleans the canals and seals the tooth, so you keep your natural tooth instead of extracting it. Most teeth then need a crown.
- Since 2002
- 13 dentists
- In-house lab
- EN · 中文 · 日本語
What is a root canal and how long does it take?
A root canal is treatment inside a tooth whose nerve is infected or inflamed. The dentist removes the pulp, cleans and shapes the canals, then seals them. It usually takes two to three visits of 45–90 minutes. At Gangnam One Day Dental Clinic, a back tooth is then typically protected with a crown made in the clinic's in-house lab.
Reviewed by Dr. Kim Jin-hwan , Chief Director · Updated October 5, 2026
When do you need a root canal?
Inside every tooth is the pulp: nerves and blood vessels in narrow canals running down the roots. When deep decay, a crack or trauma lets bacteria reach the pulp, it becomes inflamed or infected. It cannot heal by itself, and infection can spread to the bone at the root tip.
If decay has not yet reached the nerve, a filling may still be enough. X-rays and simple tests help the dentist decide.
- Persistent toothache, especially at night
- Lingering sensitivity to hot or cold
- Pain when biting or chewing
- Swelling or a pimple on the gum near the tooth
- A tooth that has turned grey or dark
Why most root-canal teeth need a crown
After a root canal, a back tooth is more brittle because it has lost its blood supply and usually a lot of structure to decay. Without protection, it can crack under chewing forces.
A crown covers and protects the tooth. The clinic's in-house Oneday Lab designs and mills crowns with CAD/CAM, so a temporary to final crown can be completed quickly once the root canal is finished. Front teeth with little damage can sometimes be restored with a filling instead.
Not sure if this is right for you? Send a photo or X-ray — a dentist replies on WhatsApp in English, Chinese or Japanese.
Get a free opinionRoot canal or extraction?
Keeping your natural tooth is usually preferred when it can be restored: it keeps the bone, the bite and the feel of a real tooth. A root canal plus crown is also usually simpler than extraction followed by an implant.
If a tooth is cracked through the root, has very little structure left or has already failed treatment, extraction and an implant may be more predictable. Complex and retreatment cases are covered on our advanced root canal therapy page.
| Root canal + crown | Extraction + implant | |
|---|---|---|
| Keeps natural tooth | Yes | No |
| Visits | Usually 2–3 plus crown | Extraction, healing, then implant and crown |
| Total time | Usually 1–3 weeks | Typically weeks to months |
| Surgery | No | Yes |
| Best when | Tooth is restorable | Tooth is cracked or not restorable |
How it works at Oneday Dental
- Before
Send your X-ray
Send a recent X-ray and describe your symptoms on WhatsApp. The team can say whether a root canal is likely and how many visits to plan.
- Visit 1
Diagnosis and start
The tooth is examined and X-rayed. Under local anaesthetic the infected pulp is removed and the canals are cleaned and medicated.
- Visit 2
Cleaning and shaping
Canals are further cleaned and disinfected. Simple cases may be completed in this visit.
- Visit 2–3
Filling and sealing
Canals are filled with a rubber-like material (gutta-percha) and sealed to prevent reinfection.
- Final visit
Crown
The tooth is prepared and scanned, and a crown is made in the in-house lab and fitted.
Things to know before you decide
- The tooth is usually tender for a few days after each visit.
- Some teeth have extra, curved or blocked canals that make treatment longer or more complex.
- Reinfection can occur, especially if the crown is delayed or leaks.
- A tooth with a vertical root fracture cannot be saved with a root canal and usually needs extraction.
Experience you can check
- 2002Founded in Gangnam — 24 years
- 13Dentists in 5 departments
- 3Clinic buildings, 1,570 m²
- 0.01 mmT-Scan bite-force detail
Vice President, Korean Academy of Stomatognathic Function & Occlusion · author on T-Scan implant occlusion (IGI Global)
Root Canal Treatment: common questions
Is a root canal painful?
How many visits does a root canal take?
Can I finish a root canal during a short trip to Seoul?
Do I really need a crown after a root canal?
How long does a root-canal-treated tooth last?
How much does a root canal cost?
You may also want to read
Complex Root Canals
Advanced root canal therapy in Seoul for retreatment, curved or calcified canals and abscesses, planned with 3D CT…
Learn more →Dental Crowns
Dental crowns in Gangnam, Seoul: zirconia and all-ceramic crowns milled in our in-house lab, often in one day.
Learn more →Dental Fillings
Dental fillings in Seoul: tooth-coloured composite, glass ionomer and ceramic inlays from our in-house lab…
Learn more →Emergency Dentist
Emergency dentist in Seoul for toothache, broken or knocked-out teeth, swelling and lost crowns.
Learn more →Family & General Dentistry
Family dentist in Seoul: check-ups, fillings, root canals, children's care and emergencies in Gangnam.
Learn more →Single-Tooth Implant
Single tooth implant in Korea: implant vs bridge compared, OSSTEM or MegaGen, crown made in our Gangnam lab.
Learn more →Browse: Dental Implants · Cosmetic Dentistry · Orthodontics · Gum Care · General Dentistry · International Patients · Home
Get a dentist's opinion on WhatsApp
Send your question, photos or X-ray. We reply with a plan, timeline and estimate in English, Chinese, Japanese or Korean.
