Endodontic (Root Canal) Treatment

The inner chambers of teeth contain a network of nerves and blood vessels called the dental pulp. The dental pulp is kept isolated from the outside environment, and so it stays free from bacteria. Sometimes bacteria gain access to the dental pulp through tooth decay, tooth cracks or tooth trauma. This bacterial invasion often results in death of the dental pulp. Sometimes this process is painless, but this process can often be acutely painful. Antibiotics alone are unable to eliminate the invading bacteria because antibiotics cannot effectively access all parts of the inner chamber of the tooth. The only way to remove those bacteria is to remove the contents of the pulp chamber.

Endodontic (root canal) treatment can be seen as a multi-stage specialised dental filling. Under local anaesthetic, the pulp chamber is cleaned and then filled over a few appointments. Dental x-ray films are taken before and during the procedure. Most of the tooth structure is preserved, it is just the infected tissues at the centre of the tooth that are cleaned away and sealed. An alternative to endodontic treatment is tooth removal. Endodontic treatment has a high success rate, and that success is often improved by the placement of a protective crown on the tooth after endodontic treatment has been completed.