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What is a root canal?

Root canal therapy is like CPR for a tooth. Just like real CPR, root canal therapy should only be done on a dying, unhealthy tooth. Root canal therapy is the last-ditch effort to save the tooth as opposed to removing the tooth.

During root canal therapy, the nerve and blood supply of the tooth are removed through an opening where the old filling used to be.The nerve and blood supply is found in the canals (tunnels) inside the tooth roots, hence the term "root canal therapy." The inside of the tooth can be very dirty, so medicine is often placed inside it for a couple of weeks between appointments. The canals are often filled during the second appointment with a rubber material to seal them tight, and then a big filling (often with reinforcement) is placed. Most root canal'd teeth should be crowned once the root canal therapy is deemed successful in order to hold the tooth together and keep it from breaking.

 

If you already have a crown on the tooth, the dentist will need to drill a hole through that crown in order to perform the root canal therapy. Visualizing the root canal system through a dark crown can be difficult, so you may be referred to a specialist for this treatment. Other factors like curved roots or a small jaw opening may also be cause to have you referred to a specialist.

 

Root canal therapy is not 100% guaranteed, but it has saved millions of teeth in the US from extraction. If you are experiencing a toothache or a tooth abcess, ask your dentist if root canal therapy is best for you.