What is root canal treatment?
Root canal treatment, also called endodontics, is needed when the nerve and blood vessels of the tooth (known as the dental pulp) have become infected as a result of dental disease or trauma.
What is root canal treatment?
Root canal treatment, also called endodontics, is needed when the nerve and blood vessels of the tooth (known as the dental pulp) have become infected as a result of dental disease or trauma.
Why is root canal treatment necessary?
If the pulp becomes infected, the infection can spread from the root canal to the surrounding tissues. This can lead to an abscess. If root canal treatment is not carried out, the spreading infection may mean the tooth has to be extracted.
Is the procedure painful?
No. Once a local anaesthetic (numbing) has been given, it is no different from having an ordinary filling.
What does the procedure involve?
The aim of the treatment is to remove the infection from the root canal. The canal is then cleaned and filled with a dedicated filling material to prevent any further infection. Root canal treatment is a procedure that takes time and professional skill, and it may require two or more visits to the dentist. At the first session the infected pulp is removed and the canal is cleaned and widened. The number of further sessions depends on how far the infection has spread and what type it is. At the final session the tooth receives its permanent filling.