Root canal, or endodontic therapy, is performed to save a tooth when the inner tissue, called the pulp, becomes infected or damaged. Therapy consist of
removing pulp, cleaning, shaping and sealing the root canals.
After treatment, the tooth survives because it is nourished by adjacent tissues of the periodontal ligament that surrounds the tooth. The whole process generally takes only about an hour and is done with local anesthetic, The experience is very similar to having a regular filling placed. When you leave our office following treatment, you will have a temporary filling in the chewing surface portion of your tooth. You will need to get back to your family dentist ASAP for a permanent restoration. Occasionally a tooth that has undergone endodontic or root canal treatment fails to heal, or pain continues despite therapy. When this happens the tooth can often be saved with either a second endodontic treatment or an in-office surgical procedure.
Often endodontic therapy is completed in one appointment, but sometimes two or three visits are necessary.
With the use of modern anesthetics, root canal therapy usually involves little or no discomfort. Occasionally you may experience some discomfort for a day or so, especially when chewing, because cleaning the root canals may cause inflammation of the surrounding nerves. If discomfort lasts more than a few days, or if you experience severe pain, call our office.
