Root canal therapy refers to the treatment of an infected or damaged pulp (nerve) in a tooth.

 

This treatment involves removing the nerve of the tooth, cleaning out the root canals of the tooth and replacing it with a special type of filling.

 

Signs of pulp (nerve) problems can cause the tooth to become quite sensitive to hot and cold foods and drinks. It can be very sore to bite and apply pressure and swelling can also be present.  In some cases the tooth can die without you experiencing any symptoms at all. This will often be diagnosed with radiographs and by performing a pulp (nerve) test.

 

Pulp (nerve) damage can be caused by a number of things such as deep decay, a fracture in the tooth, trauma to the tooth, severe wear on the tooth, tooth grinding, decay under a loose filling and some types of gum disease.

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The tooth can have a number of canals. The front teeth usually have one canal however the back teeth can have between one to four canals in each tooth. The canals can be straight or curved.