Alvorens wortelkanaalbehandeling begin, bespreek ons plaaslike verdowing en die behandelingsplan.

Because alvorens introduces a subordinate clause. In Afrikaans, subordinate clauses normally send the finite verb to the end.

So:

• Alvorens wortelkanaalbehandeling begin = Before root canal treatment begins

Compare that with a main clause, where the verb would usually be in second position.

This is a word order feature of Afrikaans main clauses.

In a normal main clause, Afrikaans uses verb-second word order. That means the finite verb comes second, even if something other than the subject comes first.

Here, the sentence starts with the subordinate clause:

• Alvorens wortelkanaalbehandeling begin, ...

So in the main clause that follows, the verb must come before the subject:

• bespreek ons plaaslike verdowing en die behandelingsplan

If you started directly with the subject, you would get:

• Ons bespreek plaaslike verdowing en die behandelingsplan.

Both are grammatical, but the original sentence has the introductory clause first, so inversion happens.

Alvorens means before.

It is correct Afrikaans, but it sounds a bit more formal or official than everyday voordat. In medical, legal, or written contexts, alvorens is quite natural.

So these are similar:

• Alvorens wortelkanaalbehandeling begin ...
• Voordat wortelkanaalbehandeling begin ...

The first sounds more formal.

Yes. Afrikaans very often writes compound nouns as a single word.

So:

• wortel = root
• kanaal = canal
• behandeling = treatment

Together:

• wortelkanaalbehandeling = root canal treatment

This is very normal in Afrikaans. English often uses several words where Afrikaans uses one long compound.

Again, this is the compound-noun pattern.

• behandeling = treatment
• plan = plan

Together:

• behandelingsplan = treatment plan

Notice the -s- in the middle. That linking -s- often appears in Afrikaans compounds, but it is not always predictable from English alone. The important thing for learners is to recognize that long medical or technical nouns are often built this way.

Because the two noun phrases are being treated differently:

• plaaslike verdowing is being mentioned more generally: local anaesthetic / local anesthesia / local numbing
• die behandelingsplan is specific: the treatment plan

So the sentence means something like:

• we discuss local anaesthetic and the treatment plan

Afrikaans often omits an article where English might use the or a, especially with general or uncountable ideas. Here verdowing is being used more like a general medical concept, while die behandelingsplan refers to a specific plan.

Literally, it is:

• plaaslike = local
• verdowing = numbing / anaesthesia / anesthetic effect

In a medical context, plaaslike verdowing usually refers to local anaesthetic or local anesthesia.

So it is not just any kind of “numbness”; it specifically refers to the numbing used in treatment.

Yes. It comes from the verb verdoof, which means to numb, to stupefy, or to anaesthetize, depending on context.

So:

• verdoof = to numb / to anaesthetize
• verdowing = numbing / anaesthesia / anesthetic

This -ing ending often forms a noun from a verb in Afrikaans.

No, it does not have to be.

Afrikaans can use a noun like wortelkanaalbehandeling without die when speaking in a general or institutional sense, especially in formal or professional language.

So:

• Alvorens wortelkanaalbehandeling begin ...

is natural in a medical setting.

You could also sometimes see:

• Alvorens die wortelkanaalbehandeling begin ...

That would make it sound more specifically like the particular root canal treatment.

Because the sentence begins with an introductory subordinate clause:

• Alvorens wortelkanaalbehandeling begin, ...

In Afrikaans, as in English, it is normal to separate that opening clause from the main clause with a comma.

So the structure is:

• subordinate clause + comma + main clause

Yes. A more everyday version would often use voordat instead of alvorens:

• Voordat wortelkanaalbehandeling begin, bespreek ons plaaslike verdowing en die behandelingsplan.

That keeps the same basic meaning but sounds a little less formal.

The original sentence is still completely natural, especially in professional or written medical Afrikaans.