Root canal therapy or “root canal” is a procedure to treat and save damaged and infected teeth. Before root canal therapy, the only treatment for affected teeth was removal. Today, root canal therapy is a common procedure. It has a very high rate of success.
Your teeth contain tiny passageways called root canals. Each tooth contains one or more. Your back teeth contain more root canals than your front teeth. Inside each tooth, the root canal branches off from beneath the surface and extends to the tip of the root. The location and shape of each root canal varies from tooth to tooth.
Your root canals and the interior of your teeth contain pulp. Pulp contains blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue. Pulp nourishes teeth when they first emerge and are forming. When a tooth is mature, it is supported by a blood supply that establishes around the tooth.
Pulp that becomes infected or damaged is removed with root canal therapy. Pulp is commonly infected by an untreated cavity. A cavity can extend through the layers of a tooth. Tooth decay can lead to infection if it extends through the tooth’s outer layers (the enamel and dentin) and into the pulp and root canal. The opening created by a cavity allows bacteria to access and infect the pulp.
Inflammation from an infection restricts a tooth’s blood supply. The reduced blood supply inhibits the tooth’s ability to heal itself. Further, antibiotics do not work well for tooth infections. Antibiotics are carried in the bloodstream and cannot reach a tooth with an impaired blood supply.
Pulp can also become infected because of damage from trauma. A cracked tooth can lead to tooth decay. An infection may occur in a similar fashion as with a cavity.
A pulp infection needs to be treated with root canal therapy. If a pulp infection is not treated, your tooth may need to be removed, and your infection may spread. A pulp infection can form an abscess (pus-pocket) and spread to your gum and jawbone. From there, it may spread to other parts of your body, including your brain, and cause serious medical conditions.
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