Root Canal Treatment

A filling or a crown cannot repair the infected pulp inside a tooth. To successfully remove all infection from the root of a tooth, a root canal therapy may be necessary. A root canal is an endodontic procedure in which the dentist removes an infected tooth’s pulp, cleans the canal and then seals it with a specific material. The tooth will no longer be alive, but it will probably not require extraction and replacement. In most cases, a crown is placed to strengthen a tooth after a root canal therapy.

Benefits of a Root Canal Therapy

A root canal saves the tooth from extraction, which is a much more invasive and costly procedure. In addition, in order to maintain good oral health, the missing tooth must be replaced. To replace a tooth, you may need dental implants, bridgework, or partial dentures. Since a root canal conserves the structure of the original tooth, only a crown is needed to strengthen the tooth after a root canal therapy. You can see that a root canal is actually a more conservative procedure. With modern technology, root canal therapy can often be completed in one visit.