Said upfront

There is no MDS endodontist at Redefine Dental. Root canal treatment here is provided by Dr. Dhanya Saxena, BDS, MHA, FMC, FAOI, an oro-dental surgeon whose clinical focus is implantology and full mouth reconstruction. Our root canal treatment is general dental care. If your case looks like one that needs an endodontist, you will be told at the assessment. This page explains where that line sits so you can decide for yourself.

What an endodontist actually is

In India, every dentist qualifies with a BDS. An endodontist has then completed a three-year postgraduate MDS in Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, and spends their working life on the inside of teeth: diagnosing pulp and root-tip problems, and treating the cases that have gone wrong or are technically difficult.

A general dentist may legally and competently perform root canals, and most root canals in the country are done by general dentists. The honest framing is not that one is allowed and the other is not. It is that the specialist sees far more of the hard cases, and the gap between the two widens as the case gets more difficult. For what the procedure involves from start to finish, see the steps of a root canal.

Cases that genuinely warrant an endodontist

Retreatment of a root canal that has failed

A tooth that was treated before but is painful again, has swelling, or shows a persistent shadow at the root tip on an X-ray. The old filling material has to be removed and the canals cleaned again, which is harder than a first treatment.

Calcified or blocked canals

Over time, or after an injury, canals can narrow or fill with hard tissue until they are hard to find and negotiate. Locating them without weakening the tooth takes experience and magnification.

A broken instrument or a perforation

A fragment of a file left inside a canal, or an accidental opening through the side of the root or the floor of the tooth. Both need careful, specialised management.

Unusual anatomy

Extra canals, C-shaped canals, or sharply curved roots. Missing a single canal is one of the commonest reasons a root canal fails later.

Root-end surgery

When infection persists despite a well-done root canal, the root tip can be treated surgically through the gum. This is specialist work.

A suspected crack that is hard to diagnose

Pain on biting that comes and goes, with no obvious decay. Finding a crack and judging whether the tooth can be saved is difficult.

An injured young permanent tooth with an incomplete root

In a child or teenager the root is still forming, and the treatment is different from an adult root canal. Specialist or paediatric input is usually appropriate.

Cases a general dentist handles routinely

A first root canal on a typical tooth with a clear diagnosis

Deep decay or pain that points clearly to one tooth, an X-ray that shows ordinary canal anatomy, and no previous treatment on that tooth. This is routine work for a general dentist and makes up most root canals.

Single-sitting treatment where it suits the tooth

Completing the root canal in one visit is well supported when there is no acute abscess and the canals can be fully cleaned and dried in that visit. An actively draining infection is usually better treated across two visits.

How to tell which one you have

The first question is whether this tooth has been root treated before. If it has and it hurts again, or if it has a swelling or a persistent shadow at the root tip, treat it as a retreatment case. If it has never been treated, the next question is what the X-ray shows: ordinary canals and a clear diagnosis point to routine work; blocked canals, a curved root or an unclear source of pain point to a specialist.

You cannot judge this from symptoms alone, and the pain itself is not a guide to difficulty. A persistent toothache is a reason to be examined rather than to wait; our page on toothache covers what to do in the meantime. Spreading facial swelling, fever, or difficulty swallowing or breathing always means same-day care, and a hospital emergency department if breathing or swallowing is affected.

Single sitting or several visits

Neither is better in itself. A single-sitting root canal is well supported when there is no acute abscess, the canals can be fully cleaned and dried in one visit, and the anatomy is manageable. An actively draining infection is usually better treated across two visits, with a medicament placed in the canal between them. The guide to whether a single-sitting root canal is safe goes through the reasoning.

What to ask any dentist before a root canal

Which qualification do you hold, and what is your Dental Council registration number? Is the diagnosis clear from the X-ray, and what do you see in the canals? Is this a first treatment or a retreatment? Will it be done in one visit or more, and why? Does the tooth need a crown afterwards, and is that in the quote?

The last question is the one most often missed. A treated back tooth is more brittle, and the crown after a root canal is part of the treatment. If the tooth is badly broken down, the comparison of a root canal against an implant is worth reading before you decide. Worried about pain? See whether a root canal hurts, and if a treated tooth aches years later, pain in a root canal tooth years later explains the usual causes.

Questions patients ask

Questions patients ask about root canal and crowns

Common questions

What is the difference between a dentist and an endodontist?

An endodontist is a dentist who has completed a three-year postgraduate MDS in Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics. A general dentist can legally and competently do root canals in India and does most of them. The distinction matters most for retreatment and technically difficult cases.

Do I need a root canal specialist or will a dentist do?

For a first root canal on a tooth with a clear diagnosis, a general dentist is usually appropriate. For a failed earlier root canal, blocked canals, a broken instrument, root-end surgery or a hard-to-diagnose crack, see an endodontist. An examination and X-ray tell you which category you are in.

Is there a root canal specialist at Redefine Dental?

No. Root canal treatment is provided by Dr. Dhanya Saxena, who holds BDS, MHA, FMC and FAOI. She is an oro-dental surgeon and aesthetic physician, not an MDS endodontist. If your case looks like one that needs an endodontist, you will be told so at the assessment.

How much does a root canal cost in Lucknow?

Across Lucknow in 2026, a root canal itself ranges from ₹3,000 to ₹9,000 depending on the tooth, and re-treatment of a failed root canal from ₹7,000 to ₹15,000. These are market ranges, not the clinic's fee. The crown that usually follows is separate; the cost page breaks it down.

Is a single-sitting root canal as good as multiple visits?

For the right case, yes. It depends on whether the infection is active and whether the canals can be fully cleaned and dried in one visit. Your dentist should be able to tell you why they chose one visit or two for your tooth.

How do I check whether a dentist is an endodontist?

Ask for the qualification and the State Dental Council registration number. An endodontist holds an MDS in Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics. Registration is a matter of public record.

About this page

This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Prices are prevailing Lucknow market ranges, not a quotation. Whether your tooth needs an endodontist is determined after an examination and X-ray, not from a description. For questions about your own case, call +91 83036 12717.

Root Canal Specialist in Lucknow: when you actually need one