Root Canal

Please click on the topics below for further information on root canal treatment:

What is a Root Canal?
Are Root Canals Necessary?
What Exactly is Root Canal Treatment?
Follow Up Care

What is a Root Canal?

Root canal treatment (endodontics) treats a diseased or infected nerve (also called the pulp) of the tooth. In 95 percent of the cases, the tooth can be saved through treatment. We believe in saving teeth (instead of removing them, as used to be the case). We make every effort to help you keep your natural teeth for a lifetime!

Are Root Canals Necessary?

Root canal treatment becomes necessary if the following are present:

• Tooth damage, caused by a physical blow or a constant striking of a tooth in the opposite jaw
• Physical irritation caused by a deep decay or a very large filling
• Severe gum disease

Tooth damage can allow bacteria to grow within the tooth nerve, causing pressure and pain, sometimes accompanied by swelling of the face. Sometimes the nerve deteriorates so gradually that little pain is felt. However, without treatment the bacteria can destroy the nerve. As this happens, the bone surrounding the tooth may become infected and abscessed, leading to the destruction of the bone.

What Exactly is Root Canal Treatment?

Once it has been determined that root canal treatment is required, the following steps are taken.

• Tooth is anesthesized. A local injection is given to "numb" the area.
• The diseased nerve is removed. The unhealthy nerve in the interior of the tooth is removed. The canals which are located inside the roots themselves are cleaned and permanently sealed.
• Completion. Once a tooth has had root canal treatment, it is strongly recommended that a crown be placed on this now non-vital and progressively brittle tooth. This is a separate but necessary procedure from root canal therapy.

Follow Up Care

Once the root canal treatment has been completed, you should consider the following:

• Brittleness - a non-vital (endodontically treated) tooth is more brittle than a vital one and is more susceptible to fracture. Therefore, in most cases, we recommend that your root canal tooth be crowned (capped) following treatment.
• Discoloration - you may notice that your endodontically treated tooth (especially a front tooth) has undergone a change in color. Though this discoloration is of no medical concern, you may be interested in having the tooth whitened.

Please feel free to contact us for your oral health care needs!