Root Canal Therapy

Root canal therapy involves removing the nerve and damaged tissue from a tooth in order to save it. When decay or trauma opens a channel to the nerve canal of a tooth, the tooth begins to "die" and pain and discomfort follows. The initial pain from a damaged tooth nerve comes in the form of pain to cold, hot, or sweet stimulus.  The tooth will also hurt without any stimulus at all. After the tooth has died, cold will no longer affect the tooth because the nerve is inactive. The dead tissue inside the tooth includes harmful bacteria that can cause infection and swelling. Root canal therapy involves removing the dead tissue inside the tooth and sterilizing the remaining canal. The canal is then sealed with a material called gutta percha to prevent other bacteria from entering the nerve canal. After root canal treatment it is normal to experience some tenderness for a couple of days as your body is clearing out the remaining damaged tissue. Teeth that have been treated with a root canal are brittle and need a crown to prevent fracture from the stress of chewing forces.