Root Canal Treatment

The term “root canal” actually has two meanings. It is commonly used to describe a procedure for treating inflammation or a bacterial infection deep inside a tooth, as in “you need a root canal.” And it is also the name of a part of the tooth itself: the narrow, hollow channel that runs from the tip of the root to a central space in the centre of the tooth called the pulp chamber.

These inner tooth spaces house the nerves and blood vessels that nourished the tooth as it was growing. In adults, these tissues aren’t really needed — but they do allow the tooth to feel pain, hot, cold and other stimuli. A front tooth that has one root will have one main canal. A molar, which has multiple roots, will have more than one canal. A main root canal can have several “accessory” canals branching off of it.

The tissues within the pulp chamber and canals can become inflamed or infected by bacteria; this sometimes happens when a cavity is not treated in a timely manner, or when a tooth is injured . The inflamed tissues often cause pain inside the tooth. The purpose of root canal treatment is to relieve the pain and stop the infection.

It’s also possible to have a root canal problem without pain. But if your dentist has identified a root canal infection, you need to get it taken care of — right away. If you don’t, sooner or later you will likely lose the tooth. Without treatment, the infection could get worse.