Root Canals

Information may not be reliable

If a diagnosis of one or more teeth has been made indicating that there is dead, infected or dying nerve tissue within a tooth, then root canal treatment (RCT) is recommended in order to prevent the tooth from becoming a source of continued pain and/or infection. RCT involves cleaning out the inside nerve space of a tooth, enlarging this space, and finally filling the interior with a dense, non-irritating rubber material. This space is filled so that no irritants remain within the tooth. RCT may take between 1 to 3 visits to complete depending on the difficulty of the tooth and how quickly the infection resolves. RCT allows a person to keep a tooth that may otherwise need extraction due to the presence of infection within the tooth caused by a diseased nerve, or to help attach a complex crown to a badly broken down tooth. Loss of teeth may result in decreased ability to chew and speak as well as changes in appearance.