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Root Canals
(or Endodontic Treatment)
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| When Root
Canal Treatment is Needed |
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 The
nerve (pulp) inside a tooth can be damaged by cracks in the
tooth, deep cavities or accidents. Germs (or bacteria) can
get into the tooth and can lead to infected tooth pulp. This
may cause pain and/or swelling. Sometimes, a pulp becomes
infected or dies, but does not cause any pain.
We may also notice:
- changes in the colour of the tooth
- changes in your gums
- changes picked up by a dental x-ray
In all these cases, root canal treatment can ease or prevent
symptoms, and save the tooth. |
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| Root Canal
Treatment |
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 Root
canal therapy (endontics) treats disorders of the nerve
(pulp) of the tooth. Years ago, a tooth with a diseased or
infected nerve had to be removed or extracted. Successful
root canal treatment lets you keep your tooth. The only
other option is to have your tooth removed. Keeping your
tooth helps to prevent your other teeth from drifting out of
line and causing jaw problems or gum disease. Saving a
natural tooth avoids having to replace it with either a
bridge or an implant.
Teeth are made up of 3 hard layers:
- enamel
- dentin
- cementum
There is a space inside the hard
layers of each tooth. It is called the root canal system and
it is filled with soft dental pulp. This pulp is made up of
nerves and blood vessels that help the tooth grow and
develop. Once a tooth is fully grown, it can survive without
a pulp. If the nerve (pulp) of a tooth becomes infected,
then a root canal (or endodontic treatment) is needed. When
this is done, the pulp is removed. There are other nerves
that connect the root to the bone. |
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©
Copyright West Street Dental Group 2002-2005, all rights
reserved |
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