Your tooth is made up of several hard layers including enamel and dentin. Below these layers there is soft tissue called the pulp which contains the nerves and blood vessels of the tooth. A deep cavity, a deep filling or crown , a crack in your tooth or injury can lead to the pulp becoming inflamed or infected. Some of the symptoms that may indicate that root canal treatment is required is severe pain while biting or chewing, swelling on the gums, spontaneous pain and/or lingering sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures. Root canal treatment is an option that involves removing the nerve from the tooth and allowing the tooth to be saved rather than extraction.
The area that will be work on will be numbed with a topical gel followed with local anesthetic in order to make the procedure as comfortable as possible. The infected pulp will be removed and the tooth will be cleaned and disinfected with small instruments and solutions. The channel where the nerve used to reside will then be sealed up with a special material. Following your root canal procedure, a core filling material and crown will be recommended in order to protect the tooth and help prevent fracture.