Teeth are held in the jaw by their roots. Inside each tooth is the "pulp" or "nerve" which supplies nourishment and sensation to the tooth. Root canals are very small, thin canals that branch off from the pulp chamber down to the tip of the root. A tooth has at least one but nomore than four root canals.
When the pulp or root canal is diseased or injured, it "dies". If you dont remove the dead tissues your tooth gets infected and you could lose it. Root Canal or Endodontic Treatment is the removal and cleaning out of any infection in the pulp and root canals. The goal of root canal treatment is to preserve the tooth. 
What will happen if you leave the tooth untreated? The tooth will not heal by itself
Pain will worsen
The infection will cause swelling that may spread to other areas of the face, neck or head
Bone around the tooth will begin to degenerate
Swelling with pus will form in the area around the tooth root, called an abscess
The tooth may fall out
Possibility of losing the tooth
| The Problem : Spontaneous pain or
throbbing of the tooth
Pain while biting or chewing
Prolonged sensitivity to hot and cold
Deep cavity
Cracked, chipped or split tooth
Discoloration of the tooth
Gum (periodontal) disease
Trauma, such as a sudden
blow to the mouth
For many damaged pulps or root canals there are NO SYMPTOMS. Your dentist may discover a "dead" tooth in an x-ray. The Solution: When the pulp and the root canal(s) have been irreparably damaged, rather than extracting the tooth, your dentist may attempt to save it by performing Root Canal Treatment. Occasionally, if an abscess has formed at the base of the tooth, it will be necessary to perform a Root Canal Surgery, known as Apicectomy. This is a minor surgical procedure in which the tissue at the base of the root is removed. |