You’ve heard of “root canals” but, do you know what the procedure entails?
Root canal treatment, also referred to as root canal therapy or endodontic therapy, is necessary when an untreated cavity reaches all the way to its pulp or when deep restorations or trauma to a tooth cause nerve damage. Once the pulp becomes infected,it can begin to eat away at the surrounding bone, known as an abscess. If the pulp is infected, not only is it painful but it will require treatment as it cannot heal on its own.
Symptoms that indicate that the pulp has become infected may include sensitivity to hot/cold or sweets, pain, swelling, pain to biting or pressure, and a bad taste in the mouth. However, sometimes no symptoms are apparent and you may be unaware of any problem until you go in for a checkup.
A root canal is performed to clean out the infected tooth pulp and disinfect the canals of the tooth. Once the infection is resolved, the canal is filled in to prevent any further infection.