Endodontic

If the nerve of your tooth becomes infected, a root canal treatment, also known as endodontic treatment, will allow you to keep your tooth rather than have it extracted.

What is a Root Canal Treatment?

A root canal treatment is a dental procedure that involves the removal of pulp tissue from the tooth to prevent the further spread of infection.

The procedure is generally done when there is damage to the pulp tissue, caused by deep decay, accidents, cracks or flawed fillings. These openings can give bacteria access to the inner chamber of the tooth, which in turn, causes more damage.

Your tooth may become abscessed and you may experience pain or swelling.

Dentists look for certain physical signs to determine if the condition calls for a root canal procedure or not.  The tooth is usually sensitive when chewing and doesn’t feel the cold and hot sensation anymore. Most of the time, the dentist can confirm the condition via an x-ray.

When the nerve of your tooth becomes infected, dentists can save your tooth by drilling a hole through the enamel down to the pulp chamber to remove the infected tissue. The space where the nerve was in the root is disinfected and cleaned with specialized needle-shaped instruments.

Once all of the infected tissues are taken out, the empty chamber is then filled with an inert material to seal up the opening.