Root Canal Therapy

Prior to recent advances in medicine, damage to the core of a tooth usually meant its quick removal. The modern solution is a root canal procedure, known in the medical community as endodontic treatment. This procedure usually involves a couple of trips to the dentist and is performed in the dentist's chair. A root canal procedure cleans, disinfects, and refills the interior of the tooth, thereby preventing serious pain and permanent damage to decayed teeth.

High-tech root canal therapy

Root canal procedures performed today are vastly different from those carried out a few years ago, not to mention a decade ago. The potential level for quality care has dramatically increased. It is a thing of the past to do root canals in five to six appointments. Root canals can be done painlessly, faster, and more accurately now—due to the new technology available.

Non-surgical root canal therapy

Root canal therapy is the removal of the nerve inside the tooth, which will have become irreversibly damaged or infected. This is usually due to the entry of bacteria into the centremost part of the tooth called the dental pulp (or ‘nerve’).

The procedure involves the removal of the entire nerve system, as well as cleaning, shaping and three-dimensional filling of the canal system with gutta percha and a dental sealer. The procedure enables you to keep your natural tooth—which is preferable to any type of replacement. Following root canal therapy, you return to your dentist to have your tooth fully restored.

The Procedure

Step 1		After the tooth is “numbed,” a small opening is made into the pulp chamber. The canals are located and measured, so they can be cleansed and shaped.
Step 2		The canals are filled with a rubber-like material called gutta percha and the opening is sealed with sterile cotton pellets and a temporary filling.
Step 3		Within a couple of weeks, your dentist will restore the tooth. Most often, a crown is placed in order to protect the tooth, and if the tooth lacks sufficient tooth structure to hold the core build-up, a post may be placed inside for support. Any areas of infection around the roots will begin to heal.

The number of visits necessary to complete a root canal will vary, depending on: the degree of infection, the number of canals in your tooth, if the canals are calcified, the anatomy of your tooth, and the complexity of the procedure. We always strive to achieve the best possible result; as a result, your treatment may take just one visit, or it may take more.