Root canal procedures are performed when the nerve of the tooth becomes infected or the pulp becomes damaged. During a root canal procedure, the nerve and pulp are removed and the inside of the tooth is cleaned and sealed.
Once bacteria have infected the pulp of a tooth, treatment choices are limited. You could choose to have the tooth extracted, or treated with a root canal. Without treatment, the infection, or abscess, causes discomfort, swelling, and can even cause bone damage. By removing the infected pulp inside the tooth, the tooth can usually be saved.
A hole is made in the biting surface of the tooth just large enough to expose the pulp chamber. Once the pulp has been removed, medication may be placed inside the empty chamber to stop infection. Eventually the chamber and hole are refilled and sealed. A root canal weakens the tooth, so it is usually recommended that a protective crown be placed on the tooth following a root canal.
Contact the dentists at Brighton Healthy Smiles to learn more about root canal treatment.
