Root Canal Treatment
Endodontics is a part of dentistry that deals with treatment of the pulp in the teeth, which is the soft tissue in the deeper layers of the teeth where nerves and blood vessels are located. The pulp is found in the root canal, which is in the centre of the tooth. If decay forms in the surface of the tooth and is not treated for a long period of time, the condition spreads to deeper layers of the dental structure and results in inflammation of the pulp and root canal. In addition to that, the pulp may develop infection when it is affected by traumas, intensive dental work and other forms of irritation. In any case, the only solution to treat the infected tooth is to remove the inflamed pulp from the root canal and replace it with a specifically designed endodontic filling.
If nothing is done after an infection forms in the pulp, the dental gum may develop an abscess, which eventually will result in the whole tooth being removed. Moreover, the infection is likely to spread not only further into the mouth, but also into other parts of the body, including the heart and the stomach.
The duration of the root canal treatment depends a lot on the severity of the case. If the infection is mild, one appointment may be enough. Complicated cases will generally need more than one visit. Usually the treatment will be performed after numbing the area, so it should not cause pain or discomfort.