Within the walls of each tooth, a strand of dental pulp, which is the substance that supplies the tooth with nerves, nutrients, connective tissue and blood vessels, laces downward into the root. If the dental pulp becomes diseased, it can die, cutting off the nutrients and nerve signals needed for the tooth to be healthy. A tooth’s pulp can become irritated, inflamed, and infected due to deep decay, repeated dental procedures in the same area, large fillings, a crack or chip in the tooth, or trauma to the face. If the diseased pulp is left in the tooth, the tooth will become infected, forcing eventual extraction.
Root canals allow the dentist to remove the pulp, clean the canal and seal the tooth, effectively protecting and saving the tooth. After an opening is created through the crown of the tooth into the dental pulp chamber, the pulp is removed. The canal is cleaned out and the pulp chamber is permanently filled with composite resin or a crown, depending on the location of the tooth within the mouth. The advantage of a root canal is being able to keep the natural shell of the tooth intact. The inside is cleared of infection, while the aesthetics are nearly completely preserved.
Call Drs. Hoover & Yanda to learn more about the root canal treatment and whether this option is right for you.