Root Canals

Endodontic therapy or root canal therapy is a treatment for the damaged pulp of a tooth. Pulp chamber are the physical hollows within a tooth that are naturally inhabited by nerve tissue, blood vessels and other cellular entities which together constitute dental pulp. Damage to the pulp may result from tooth decay (caries), bacterial infection, or trauma that results in a broken tooth and the exposure of the nerve. Usually, some inflammation and/or infection is already present within or below the tooth.

In many cases, this causes pain to the patient, and if not treated, can lead to serious damage to the bone around the tooth. This is commonly referred to as tooth decay. A root canal results in the elimination of infection and the protection of the decontaminated tooth from future microbial invasion. This is done by removing the infected pulp (nerve and blood supply) from the area, treating any infection present, and sealing the tooth so that no infection can recur. A filling, or in some cases, a crown, will restore the tooth to its natural look, without having to remove it.