Treatment >> Dental Procedures >> Root Canal Treatment

Successful root canal treatment lets you keep your tooth. The only other option is to have your tooth removed.

Keeping your tooth helps to prevent your other teeth from drifting out of line and causing jaw problems or gum disease. Saving a natural tooth avoids having to replace it with either a bridge or an implant.

What is root canal treatment?
When root canal treatment is needed
Things to consider
Root canal re-treatment and root canal surgery

What is Root Canal Treatment?

Root canal treatment is the process of removing the infected, injured or dead pulp from a tooth.

Teeth are made up of three hard layers:

1. enamel
2. dentin
3. cementum

If the pulp of a tooth becomes infected, a root canal (or endodontic treatment) is needed. When this treatment is performed, the pulp is removed.

During your regular check-up, your dentist checks for infection and damage to teeth, even though you may not notice any signs of tooth trouble. If trouble is spotted and you need a root canal, your dentist may do it, or refer you to a dental specialist with at least two years of extra university training in this area.

When Root Canal Treatment is Needed

The pulp inside a tooth can be damaged by cracks in the tooth, deep cavities or accidents. Germs (or bacteria) can get into the tooth and lead to infected tooth pulp. This situation may cause pain and/or swelling. Sometimes, the pulp becomes infected or dies, but does not cause any pain.

Your dentist may notice:

• changes in the colour of the tooth,
• changes in your gums, or
• changes picked up by a dental x-ray.

Sometimes, if a great deal of dental work is needed, your dentist can tell from your exam and x-rays that the pulp of a tooth is not likely to survive.

Things to Consider

Root canal treatment may be completed in one appointment, or it may take two or more visits. It depends on the complexity of the root canal system and on the degree of pulp damage. Sometimes, if the infection has spread from the tooth to the bone (or abscess), the infection may have to be drained before the root can be filled.

After root canal treatment, your tooth may be tender for one or two weeks. Bad pain or swelling are not common. If the pain is severe, call your dentist or endodontist.

After a root canal, your tooth has to be fixed (or restored) to look, feel and work as much like a natural tooth as possible. Your dentist may use a filling or a crown to restore your tooth. It depends on the strength of the part of the tooth that's left. A back tooth will likely need a crown, because chewing puts a great deal of force on back teeth.

Root Canal Re-treatment and Root Canal Surgery

Most of the time, a root canal is a success, but in some cases, a second root canal is needed. This procedure is called re-treatment. The root canal filling material is taken out, and the canal is recleaned, reshaped and refilled.

A dentist or an endodontist may perform root canal surgery when a regular root canal cannot be done, or when it has not worked.

• Resources:

Canadian Dental Association