Though natural teeth can be replaced with help of dental implants, preserving your teeth is very important for phsycological, functional as well as financial reasons. Sometimes in order to save your natural tooth, an Endodontic (Root Canal) treatment is necessary for it to remain a healthy part of your mouth.

While in some cases there are no clear symptoms indicating that a root canal treatment is necessary, most common signs include:

• pain,
• prolonged sensitivity to heat or cold,
• discoloration of the tooth, or
• swelling or tenderness in the nearby gums.

An alternative of removing a tooth that hurts is often an easy and predictable solution. However, it is only a short term answer. When left un-restored, remaining space will lead to serious complications.

What is the pulp?

The nerve inside the tooth is called the pulp, because in addition to the actual nerve tissue it contains the blood supply that insures its vitality.

In any other part of your body, if a similar tissue becomes diseased, the body merely throws it off and forms new tissue. A tooth is unique, because the pulp is totally encased within hard walls. The body simply cannot get to it in order to affect a repair.

What is the function of the pulp?

You might think that a tooth's nerve tissue is vitally important to a tooth's health and function, but in reality it's not. A tooth's nerve tissue plays an important role in the growth and development of the tooth, but once the tooth has erupted through the gums and has finished maturing the nerve's only function is sensory (it provides the tooth with the ability to feel hot and cold).

In regards to our normal day to day oral functions the sensory information provided by a single tooth is really quite minimal. On a practical level it is pretty much academic whether a tooth has a live nerve in it or not. With or without nerve, the tooth is able to serve its primary function, which is providing a surface for chewing food.

What is the root canal treatment?

It is the role of the dentist to do what the body is unable to do. That is removal of the inflamed or infected pulp, cleaning and shaping the inside of the canal space, and finally sealing the space inside.

When large amounts of tooth structure are missing or compromised due to the disease process, it may be necessary to place a post down into the canal space to function as an anchor for the new crown or cap that may be needed to fully restore your tooth's functionality.

Do root canals cause dead teeth?

A popular myth....
When the root canal treatment is complete, the tooth is by no means dead. It receives quite adequate support from the surrounding tissues and may be expected to last as long as any other natural tooth.

What should I expect after the treatment?

Most of our patients report that having Endodontic (root canal) treatment is as unremarkable as having a cavity filled. However following post-operative care will make sure that recovery is uneventful.