A root canal is needed when the tooth becomes diseased or injured and bacteria build up inside the tooth, spreading infection from the natural crown of the tooth to the root tips into the jawbone. Such an infection may produce pain that is severe, constant or throbbing. There can be prolonged sensitivity to heat or cold, swelling and tenderness in the surrounding gums. Facial swelling and discoloration of the tooth may also occur. In some cases, however, there can be little noticeable pain.
To treat this condition, a root canal, or an endodontic procedure, is needed. (Endodontic literally means “inside of the tooth.”) This is a dental procedure in which the diseased or damaged pulp of a tooth is removed and the inside areas are cleaned, filled and sealed.
A root canal is performed under local anesthesia. The dentist removes any tooth decay and creates access to the pulp chamber. This access also relieves the pressure inside the tooth and can dramatically ease pain. We then clean the entire canal space of diseased pulp tissue and bacteria and flush out the debris with a disinfectant solution. We will not fill and permanently seal the tooth, however, until it is completely free of active infection.
Once the canals are completely clean and free of infection, they are filled with gutta percha (an inert, non-reactive, filling material.) The tooth is protected by a temporary filling or crown until a final restoration can be placed.