Root Canal Therapy

Root canal therapy is the process of removing infected, injured or dead pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth) from the space inside your tooth - called the root canal system. The canal is then filled with materials designed to prevent infection from recurring and restore the tooth to its full function.

A successful root canal treatment lets you keep your tooth rather than having it extracted. Keeping your tooth helps to prevent adjacent teeth from drifting out of line, causing further problems.

Your dentist or dental hygienist may recommend root canal therapy for the following reasons:

• Decay has reached the tooth pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth).
• Infection or abscess have developed inside the tooth or at the root tip.
• Injury or trauma to the tooth

Symptoms or signs for root canal therapy may include:

• Minimal to severe pain.
• Tooth discoloration.
• Sensitivity to hot and cold.
• Swelling and irritation in the surrounding gum tissue.
• Sometimes no symptoms are present.