Endodontic Treatment (Root Canal)
A root canal is a treatment to repair and save a badly decayed or infected tooth. This procedure removes the soft tissue, on the inside of a tooth, then seals the canals of that tooth.
Why is a root canal needed?
Usually a root canal is performed when the nerve of the tooth becomes infected or the pulp is damaged. During the procedure the nerve and pulp are removed and the inside of the tooth is cleaned and sealed.
What is pulp?
Pulp is the soft area at the centre of the tooth. The nerve of the tooth lies within root canals which also contains blood vessels and connective tissue that nourish the tooth. A nerve is not vitally important to a tooth’s functionality. The presence or absence of a nerve will not affect the day-to-day functioning of the tooth.
Treatment Planning:
A root canal is done in either one, two or three appointments. The first goal is to remove the infected tissue from the inside of the tooth. If the conditions allow, the canals can be sealed at that time, if not another appointment would be necessary.
A tooth treated with a root canal has a high likelihood of long term function. However, the degree of tooth or bone loss that made the root canal necessary can decrease the length of time the tooth will be serviceable.
