Root Canal Therapy

Root Canal Therapy

Root canal therapy is our last line of defense to save your tooth. While we know that the term “root canal” might seem intimidating, we aim to make it as simple of a procedure as possible for all our clients.

A tooth can be divided into two main parts, the crown (or the visible portion of your tooth) and the root, which is protected by your gums and jaw bones. There are also three component layers that make up your tooth, the outside enamel, a middle layer called dentin and finally the innermost part of your tooth which is the pulp chamber. This pulp chamber is essentially the living part of each tooth and houses the nerves and blood vessels of each tooth that supplies the tooth what is needed to grow and develop.

When the pulp chamber of a tooth becomes infected, decayed or inflamed a root canal is necessary to treat the issues. If a cavity is big enough it can irritate the pulp chamber enough that the nerve and blood vessels die.  When the pulp chamber dies it is no longer able to fight off the bacteria and the tooth can get infected.  This infection can travel down the roots of the tooth and also cause an infection within the bone.

Why would I need a Root Canal?

Root canal therapy treats the cause of the infection.  A root canal will remove the cavity that caused the tooth to die initially. Then we remove all the bacteria from within the pulp chamber and the canals within each root. After, we fill this space with a rubbery material called Gutta Percha. This blocks off an access that the bacteria once had and takes care of the source of the infection.  Once the root canals and pulp chamber are filled the body is able to heal and fight off any infection that might be left in the bone.

If you are experiencing intense tooth pain, heat/cold sensitivity in a specific tooth, or have experienced trauma or a fracture of a tooth, you could potentially require a root canal. Luckily, after a root canal your tooth will feel the same as it did prior to the procedure! This is a great way to save your tooth from infection!

If you have any concerns, our dentists will be able to examine the tooth in question and consult if you may require the root canal procedure.