At Granite Belt Dental our goal is to preserve your natural teeth for a lifetime. Root Canal treatment is an important way that we can help preserve a tooth that has undergone injury from trauma, deep decay or cracks. When this happens the tooth may cause discomfort when biting or may develop a painful ache. At the centre of every tooth is a chamber which contains the pulp of the tooth. This chamber is supplied by canals in the inside of the tooth’s roots. The pulp contains soft tissues, blood vessels and the nerve that gives the tooth its sensation. The nerve of a tooth can become irritated and the pulp can become inflamed when the tooth is subjected to any kind of injury. This could be from bacteria entering the pulp from deep decay, a leaking filling or a deep crack. It can also happen through trauma, which is why it is important to always wear a mouthguard when playing sport.

The injury to the nerve of the tooth can make the tooth very sensitive, painful to bite on or cause a painful ache. The process of a root canal treatment is the removal of the nerve and any bacteria from the chamber and canals of the tooth. During this process the fillings, the decay or the crack that has caused the problem are usually removed and the nerve and any bacteria are cleaned from the pulp chamber and the canals inside the tooth. Once all the nerve and bacteria are removed a root canal filling is placed to seal the tooth. Depending on the cause of the problem, the treatment may take one or more appointments, but the sensitivity and discomfort will disappear immediately in most cases after the first visit. Once the root canal treatment is complete and the tooth is sealed again the tooth is preserved. Having preserved the tooth, our dentists will talk to you about the options for protecting the tooth into the future, which might include placing a crown on the treated tooth.