Has your dentist or endodontist told you that you need a root canal treatment? If so, you’re not alone. Millions of teeth are treated and saved each year with root canal or endodontic treatment. Remember, root canal treatment doesn’t cause pain, it relieves it.
Inside the tooth, under the white enamel and a hard layer called the dentin, is a soft tissue called the pulp. The pulp contains blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue, and helps to grow the root of your tooth during development. In a fully developed tooth, the tooth can survive without the pulp because the tooth continues to be nourished by the tissues surrounding it.
Modern endodontic treatment is very similar to having a routine filling and usually can be completed in one or two appointments or sometimes more, depending on the condition of your tooth. During root canal or endodontic treatment, the inflamed or infected pulp is removed and the inside of the tooth is carefully cleaned and disinfected, then filled and sealed with a rubber-like material called gutta-percha. You can expect a comfortable experience during and after your appointment.
The root canal treated tooth is then protected with a crown or onlay if the tooth is a posterior tooth which bears the load of your chewing forces to make it fully functional like a normal tooth.