ROOT CANAL TREATMENT
Root canal or endodontic treatment of a tooth is a means of keeping a tooth instead of having the tooth extracted.
Inside a tooth is a very fine nerve structure that may die, causing a severe toothache or abscess. Several things can make a tooth become non-vital, such as trauma to the tooth, deep fillings, decay, a tooth breaking or infection. Occasionally the tooth can die for no apparent reason.
Signs that your tooth’s nerve structure may be damaged include:
- Severe facial or tooth pain
- Swelling or a lump beside a tooth
- If you have had a knock to a front tooth you may notice that it has started to change colour and become dark.
- In some cases there is no pain and a routine exam/X-ray taken by a dentist may identify an infection or abscess.