What is the root canal?
A tooth is made up of two distinct parts. The part we can see above the gum is called the crown and the part we usually cannot see below the gum is called the root.
Front teeth usually have one root and back teeth have multiple roots. The purpose of the root is to secure the tooth to the jaw.
Teeth are kept alive and healthy by a supply of nerves and blood vessels. These pass through the jaw and enter the tooth via the root canal (in the centre of the root).
When is Root Canal treatment needed?
Treatment is needed when the bacteria from decay infect the nerves and blood vessels within the root canal of the tooth.
Root canal treatment is a process whereby we remove the soft infected debris from the root canals and disinfect them to eliminate the invading bacteria. We then place a root filling into each root canal to prevent re-infection. It is often “best practice” to crown teeth once we are certain the root canal treatment has been successful.