Root Canals

Root canal treatment, or endodontics, becomes necessary when the pulp (or soft tissue) inside a tooth becomes inflamed or diseased. This often occurs when untreated tooth decay burrows deep into the tooth and damages the tooth structure. When the damage is so severe it can’t be treated with a filling, we remove the diseased pulp, reshape the tooth canal, fill the area with a strengthening material and seal it. This preserves the tooth and makes a tooth replacement unnecessary.

Other reasons to have a root canal procedure are tooth decay, swelling or tenderness near an infected tooth, a chipped or broken tooth, extreme sensitivity to hot and cold, a blow to the tooth, or repeated dental procedures on a tooth.

It is a common misperception that root canals are painful procedures. Root canals are generally no more painful than having a cavity filled.