Root Canal

Our teeth each have a core of blood vessels and nerves at their centre known as the ‘pulp’. It’s one of the reasons our mouths are such a sophisticated yet sensitive area. The ‘pulp’ lives in a small space known as the root canal, and each tooth can have a number of root canals depending on its size and where it sits in your mouth. Usually, your front teeth will be limited to one root canal, but your back teeth may have three or more. When this pulp of nerves and vessels becomes damaged, they may die leading to a ‘dead tooth’ and usually a nasty infection.

The pulp in your teeth can be damaged in a number of ways, the most common being decay, injury or gum disease. Once the pulp becomes infected, pain and swelling will inevitably follow if not treated quickly.

The best way to treat a root canal is to get rid of the damaged pulp and with it the bacteria that’s causing the infection. This is done by gently drilling into the top of the tooth to remove the dead tissue, leaving an empty root canal system which can then be thoroughly cleaned. Finally, the tooth is filled and a permanent seal is placed over the top to protect it. This procedure typically happens in a single visit, though it can be drawn out across two visits if the problem is particularly complex.