Root canal treatments overhauled through new device

The SafeRoot device, created by a team of researchers at King’s College London, enables rapid bacterial detection inside the root canal, ensuring the procedure has been successful and reducing the need for tooth extraction or surgical intervention.

Root canal treatments remove bacterial infections from the root canal space, while retaining as much of the natural tooth as possible. Around a quarter fail over time due to secondary infections, and most procedures require one or two visits to the dentist.

The first appointment is used to remove infected material in the tooth and to administer an antibacterial treatment. During the second appointment, dentists visually assess the canal to check if the infection has been removed, but this process cannot guarantee that treatment has been successful. Each visit involves drilling and the removal of part of the tooth.

The SafeRoot device was created to detect any existing bacteria once the root canal treatment has been completed, with the aim of eliminating persistent or secondary infections and reducing the need for further treatments. Through florescent dyes and fluorescence microscopy/spectroscopy, SafeRoot can optically detect minute amounts of residual live bacteria in the root canal space. Indeed, during trials the team were able to successfully detect bacterial cells after just three minutes of testing.