Root Canal Treatment
A root canal is a procedure to save a tooth that is dead, damaged or infected. The pulp, or living part of the tooth, is made up of nerves and blood vessels. It is contained in the pulp chamber, a space inside the center of the tooth, which holds the pulp and extends into the roots.
A tooth can become infected or die for a number of reasons:
- Decay — bacteria causing tooth decay infects the pulp.
- Trauma — a traumatic injury can cause an inflammation of the pulp.
- Deep fillings — fillings that have to be placed close to the pulp chamber because of tooth decay or tooth fracture.
- Unexplained — sometimes the pulp can become inflamed and can die for no apparent reason.
During a root canal procedure, the nerve and pulp are removed from the “canal” inside of the root, which is then cleaned, filled and sealed.
Tooth Removal
A dental extraction is the removal of teeth. Extractions are performed for a wide variety of reasons, but most commonly to remove teeth which have become unrestorable through tooth decay, periodontal disease or dental trauma, especially when they are associated with toothache. Sometimes wisdom teeth are impacted (stuck and unable to grow normally into the mouth) and may cause recurrent infections of the gum.
