Root canal therapy is a common and effective treatment used to save a tooth that is badly decayed, infected, or damaged. Inside each tooth is a soft tissue called the pulp, which can become inflamed or infected due to deep decay, cracks, or trauma. During a root canal, we gently remove the infected pulp, clean and disinfect the inner chambers, and then seal the tooth to prevent further infection.
This treatment relieves pain, eliminates infection, and allows you to keep your natural tooth—avoiding extraction. With modern techniques and local anesthesia, root canal therapy is typically no more uncomfortable than getting a filling.
There may be some soreness following the procedure, but that is normal for most dental procedures. Over the counter medications are usually enough to relieve any pain afterwards. The procedure will also relieve you from pain caused by the infection allowing you to enjoy all the foods you love without any pain from heat, cold, or biting too hard.
It is highly recommended that a tooth that has undergone a root canal is fitted with a crown. This will improve the appearance of the tooth, and will also make it much more likely that the root canal is successful.
