Root Canal Therapy
A root canal is needed when you have deep caries to the nerve leading constant pain or the tooth need support from the root to hold the crown. During the procedure we numb you as we would for any dental treatment, and we carefully remove the nerve tissue from a tooth canal in order to save the tooth from having to be extracted. After the procedure is completed, the tooth will have no nerve. We fill the canals with the material called Gutta-percha and restore the tooth with a post and a crown as needed so you can preserve your natural tooth. A root canal is also known as an “Endodontic procedure.”
A tooth is made of three layers — the outer layer of enamel, the middle layer called the dentin, and the inner layer, called the pulp chamber (the nerve). When a cavity progress from the enamel to the dentin, and then into the pulp, a root canal is needed because the nerve can become infected, which can lead to you losing the tooth.
In a root canal procedure, the canals (nerve chambers) mentioned above are filled with a nonreactive filling material called gutta-percha. Once the procedure is finished, you should have a final restoration placed on the tooth (such as a crown) to protect the tooth from decay and/or fracture and chipping. We usually do so with a crown and sometimes with a post and a crown. When the root canal is done well and the tooth is restored promptly, the long-term prognosis for the tooth is usually excellent. As long as you continue to care for your teeth and gums with regular brushing, flossing, and checkups, your restored tooth can last long term.