Endodontics is the field of dentistry that deals with the internal tissues of the teeth. A root canal procedure is the most common treatment performed by an endodontist.

Root canals are the hollow channels reaching from the central chamber to the bottom of the tooth roots. The endodontic root canal treatment is often called by the same name, although endodontists and others in the dental field refer to it as a root canal procedure, therapy, or surgery.

It is important to visit a dentist who specialises in endodontics when symptoms of a root canal problem first emerge. The majority of Vital Center’s dentists specialise in endodontics. When one experiences tooth pain or has a deep cavity, to determine the necessity of root canal an x-ray will be taken to find out how close the damage is to the nerve inside the pulp chamber of the tooth. Often, if a cavity is found to be near the pulp, the pulp will have already become infected. In this case a root canal procedure will eliminate the pain and remove any infected tissue. If tooth infection is allowed to continue untreated, the patient may lose the tooth completely, necessitating a dental implant or dental bridge.

Root canal treatment starts by cleaning out damaged areas of the tooth. This is generally performed under local anesthetic, so the root canal procedure is generally no more uncomfortable than getting a filling.

The dentist will remove the tissue within the pulp chamber and clears any remaining nerve tissue from the root canals. Once the dental pulp tissue has been cleared, the dentist widens the root canal slightly and straightens the pulp chamber to prepare it for filling. The inside of the tooth is then disinfected.