Root Canals

Root canals are the layman’s term for Endodontic therapy or endodontic treatment. A root canal removes infected pulp within a tooth that is inflamed or infected by contamination and decay.

Root canal treatment can save your natural teeth and prevent the need for dental implants or bridges. 

Root Canal Therapy is one of the most common dental procedures performed by Endodontists in the United States – well over 14 million every year.  

What is Endodontic Root Canal Therapy?

Root Canal Therapy or a root canal is usually performed by an experienced Dentist or Endodontist to save a painful and damaged tooth by inflammation or infection. 

Inside every tooth, there is a soft tissue called the pulp. The pulp contains blood vessels, nerves, and roots that grow as we age. Once a tooth is fully developed, a tooth can survive without the pulp, living by the tissues that surround it.

If a tooth becomes infected or dies due to decay, trauma, deep dental fillings, or other medical reasons, a root canal may be needed. Usually, the pulp may be inflamed, infected, or damaged, causing extreme pain. To address the problem, the dentist will perform a root canal or endodontic treatment.

The dentist will take x-rays to evaluate the need for a root canal and explain the necessary treatment.

On the day of the root canal procedure, the dentist or endodontist will numb the area and stop the sensation of pain. During the process, the tooth’s nerve and pulp in each canal is removed. Each root channel is treated, filled, and sealed with endodontic technologies.

After the root canal procedure is complete, the patient will take some time to heal at home before returning to their dentist for a permanent crown or cap placed over the treated tooth.