Why and when are root canal treatments required?
When the nerve of a tooth becomes infected or abscessed, Root Canal Therapy is the only way to save the tooth. A tooth can become abscessed as a result of deep decay, a cracked tooth, or trauma to the tooth.
If Root Canal treatment is not carried out the infection will spread and the tooth may need to be removed .The only alternative to Root Canal Therapy is an Extraction. During Root Canal Therapy, the tooth is "numbed". Then the unhealthy nerve is removed and medication is placed in the tooth to treat the bacterial abscess(infection). After the infection is removed and treated, a filling is placed in the roots where the unhealthy nerve was. A tooth that has undergone Root Canal Therapy is more brittle and must be crowned to give the tooth sufficient strength. The tooth is cared for in the same way as other natural teeth. Brush and floss daily, and visit your dentist for regular preventative dental check-ups.
In simple terms, root canal treatment is the removal of the infected soft tissue within the tooth and its replacement by an artificial inert ‘filling’ material. This procedure basically saves the tooth and eliminates dental pain