Root Canal Treatment

The pulp consists of specialised dental cells, blood vessels, tissue fibres and some nerve fibres in the hollow space at the centre of the tooth. The nerve can become damaged or infected for a number of reasons, including:

• Deep decay
• Decay under a loose filling
• A fracture to the tooth
• A blow to the tooth
• Severe wear of the tooth
• Severe tooth grinding
• Some types of gum disease

Success rates for endodontic treatment are generally good: about 90 to 95 per cent of patients who undergo root canal treatment can expect a functional tooth afterwards, and the treated tooth should last a long time provided you maintain good oral hygiene.

Root canal therapy procedure

Though the concept is simple, the procedure is slightly complex and requires an experienced dentist. It generally consists of the following steps:

• A thorough examination to determine the exact cause of the problem
• Exposing the infected root canal and removing the pulp, nerves and blood vessels
• Cleaning the root canal chamber and preparing the interior root canal wall surfaces
• Filling the root canal area with a sterile, inert material
• Sealing the root canal with a dental crown or permanent filling