A “root canal” is a procedure which is done to save a tooth once it has deteriorated due to infection or caries and would otherwise require extraction. Reasons a tooth may become infected include cavities, previous large fillings, crowns, cracks, fractures, trauma, and extreme wear.
Requirement of Root Canal Treatment:
Root canal therapy is needed when the nerve of a tooth is affected by decay or infection. In order to save the tooth, the pulp, nerves, and any decay are removed and the resulting space is filled with special, medicated, dental materials, which will make the tooth healthy enough to be retained, and then a crown may be needed to restore full function, or at least a filling on a front tooth may suffice.
While root canal therapy has a high degree of success, it is not 100% guaranteed. It is very important to have a permanent restoration (usually a crown) placed within 30 days of the root canal. If a permanent restoration is not placed, the tooth can further decay to the point where the root canal must be re-done or, worse, the tooth must be removed.
Reasons For Root Canal Therapy
- Decay has reached the tooth pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth)
- Infection or abscess has developed inside the tooth or at the root tip
- Injury or trauma to the tooth
- Extreme wear