Root Canals

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A root canal is a treatment used to repair and save a tooth that is badly decayed or becomes infected. During a root canal procedure, the nerve and pulp is removed and the inside of the tooth is cleaned and sealed.  Inside each tooth is the pulp which provides nutrients and nerves to the tooth, it runs like a thread down through the root. When the pulp is diseased or injured, the pulp tissue dies. If you don’t remove it, your tooth gets infected and you could lose it. After the dentist removes the pulp, the root canal is cleaned and sealed off to protect the tooth. Then your dentist places a crown over the tooth to help make it stronger.

The pulp or pulp chamber is the soft area within the center of the tooth. The tooth’s nerve lies within root canals, which lie within the roots or “legs” of the tooth. The root canals travel from the tip of the tooth’s root into the pulp chamber, which also contains blood vessels and connective tissue that nourish the tooth. A tooth’s nerve is not vitally important to a tooth’s health and function after the tooth has emerged through the gums. Its only function is sensory – to provide the sensation of hot or cold. The presence or absence of a nerve will not affect the day-to-day functioning of the tooth.

When nerve tissue or pulp is damaged, it breaks down and bacteria begin to multiply within the pulp chamber. The bacteria and other decayed debris can cause an infection or abscessed tooth. An abscess is a pus-filled pocket that forms at the end of the roots of the tooth. An abscess occurs when the infection spreads all the way past the ends of the roots of the tooth. In addition to an abscess, an infection in the root canal of a tooth can cause:

• Swelling that may spread to other areas of the face, neck, or head
• Bone loss around the tip of the root
• Drainage problems extending outward from the root. A hole can occur through the side of the tooth with drainage into the gums or through the cheek with drainage into the skin.

Nerve and pulp can become irritated, inflamed and infected due to deep decay, dental procedures on a tooth and/or large fillings, a crack or chip in the tooth, or trauma to the face.  Sometimes no symptoms are present; however, signs to look for include:

• Severe toothache pain upon chewing or application of pressure
• Prolonged sensitivity/pain to heat or cold temperatures (after the hot or cold has been removed)
• Discoloration (a darkening) of the tooth
• Swelling and tenderness in the nearby gums
• A persistent or recurring pimple on the gums