Root canal therapy (endodontic treatment) is a special procedure that we use to preserve badly-damaged teeth. They’re necessary when the inner nerve structure of a tooth is infected or dying.
You might need a root canal if your tooth is affected by:
- A large cavity that extends into the nerve.
- Chronic pain or toothaches.
- An active abscess.
- Fractured roots.
- Nerve death, due to a previous traumatic injury
When the nerve of a tooth dies or is infected, it triggers a process called “internal resorption” where the tooth erodes from the inside. Treating it with a root canal preserves your tooth so that it doesn’t need to be extracted.