Earlier, if you had a tooth with a diseased nerve, you’d probably lose that tooth. Today, with a special dental procedure called a root canal therapy you may save the tooth.
A root canal is a treatment used to repair and save a tooth that is badly decayed or becomes infected. During a root canal procedure, the nerve and pulp are removed and the inside of the tooth is cleaned and sealed. Without treatment, the tissue surrounding the tooth will become infected and abscesses may form.
RCT is performed in either single or multiple visits, depending on the condition of the tooth and after assessment of the damage occurred. In this treatment, the damaged pulp tissue commonly referred to as the nerve of the tooth is removed and the canal is cleaned and disinfected. Replacement of the damaged pulp tissue is then carried out with biologically inert materials and the lost structure of the tooth is restored.
A crown is then placed over the RCT treated tooth to prevent it from fracturing under functional or accidental load. Badly damaged teeth may require an additional placement of a root post to support the reconstructed structure.
