RootCanals

Root canal treatment (also referred to as root canal therapy or endodontic therapy) is made necessary when a cavity is allowed, through neglect, to reach all the way to the pulp. (Regular cleanings and checkups prevent and detect problems early, and can help prevent the need for root canals.) Sometimes deep restorations or trauma to a tooth may also cause the nerve to be damaged to the point that it needs root canal therapy. Once this occurs, the pulp becomes infected, and it can even extend through the root tip and begin to eat away at the surrounding bone (this is an abscess). By the time the pulp is infected, it must be treated, and it cannot heal on its own. It can even weaken the entire immune system. This is dangerous, not to mention potentially quite painful. Symptoms that the pulp has become infected may include sensitivity to hot/cold or sweets, pain, swelling, discomfort in biting or pressure, or a bad taste in the mouth.

 

Sometimes, however, no symptoms are apparent, and the person is unaware of any problem until a checkup. A root canal is then performed to clean out the infected tooth pulp, and to disinfect the canals of the tooth. The only other treatment would be to extract the tooth. Once the infection is resolved, the canal(s) are filled in order to prevent any further infection. Usually a core build-up and crown are recommended for restoring a tooth that has had root canal therapy.