Root canal treatment,also known commonly as root canal therapy,is a procedure used to treat problems of the inside of the tooth, or the dental pulp. This is an effective treatment that is used to save the tooth when it otherwise would have had to be pulled out.

The treatment could involve from one to three visits to your dentist. During treatment, the diseased pulp is removed and the pulp chamber and root canals of the tooth are cleaned and sealed, the dentist will make sure the complete tooth is now clean and sterile to prevent further problems occurring.

The root canals of a tooth are the parts of the pulp cavity which are inside the roots;
also inside the tooth there should be a healthy pulp that is not diseased or damaged. The pulp is made up of mostly nerves and blood vessels

Root canal therapy involves drilling a small opening in the tooth so that the dentist can effectively remove the nerve and pulp. The canal is then cleaned, shaped, sterilized and the end of the root and canal space is then filled in to prevent further problems.

Root canal treatment allows you to keep a tooth you would otherwise have to have
extracted. When there is infection inside the tooth, there is no cure apart from the treatment of a root canal if this is not treated the bacteria will continue to spread to the nerve and surrounding tissue.

If not treated, a root canal problem can become very serious and not just affect your teeth it can affect surrounding areas, so it is paramount that the treatment is taken as early as possible.

Like most problems, the longer you wait the worse it can be to treat. See your dentist right away if you feel any pain with chewing, or to hot and cold foods.