Root canal therapy is a procedure that involves the removal of the soft tissue within the tooth. To understand the procedure better, we need to know a bit about the anatomy of the tooth.
A tooth is like an onion, consisting of several layers. The outermost layer is called Enamel- it is the shell of the tooth. The middle layer is called dentin. The innermost layer is called the pulp- this is the center of the tooth where the blood vessels and nerves lie.
Root canal therapy is required when the pulp of the tooth becomes inflamed or
infected. This can be due to several causes: deep decay, repeated dental
procedures on the tooth or a crack in the tooth.
Root canal therapy involves several steps. First your dentist will administer
anesthetic to numb the tooth. Then the tooth will be isolated using a protective
sheet, called a rubber dam. Then the dentist will make an opening through the
top of the crown. Through this opening your dentist will clean out the pulp of
the tooth using very small instruments. At the end of the process, your dentist
with fill and seal the root canals with a biocompatible material.
With modern anesthetics, most patients are comfortable during the root canal
procedure. For the first few days after treatment, the tooth may feel sensitive, but
any discomfort can be relieved with over the counter pain medications.
Teeth that have had root canal will require a crown to prevent them from
fracturing.
• First image: tooth with a cavity that has caused an abscess
• Second image: opening made thru top of the tooth
• Third image: canals of tooth cleaned out, removing all the infected and inflamed pulp
• Fourth image: canals are filled with a biocompatible material and a crown is placed
We believe the best dentistry is the least amount of treatment necessary to achieve optimum oral and dental health.