When the root of a tooth becomes infected, a root canal will be necessary to save the tooth. The only alternative to a root canal is extraction of the tooth.

The symptoms of an infected tooth are:

• Sensitivity to hot or cold foods and liquids.
  
• Swelling and pain.
  
• Persistent bad taste in the mouth
  
• Dental Anatomy

When someone smiles, we are seeing the outer layer of the tooth which is called the enamel. There is another hard layer beneath the enamel which is known as the dentin. The small chamber at the center of the tooth is called the pulp chamber. Pulp tissue is made up of nerves, arteries and veins. The pulp chamber extends down the root canal to the tip of the tooth.

The teeth in the front of the mouth have one root canal, while teeth in the back of the mouth may have two, three or four root canals.

Benefits of Endodontic Treatment :

• Removal of bacterial infection from tooth
  
• Removal of pain
  
• Prevention of further spread of infection throughout tooth to periapical tissue and surrounding bone
  
• Root Canal Procedure

A root canal procedure is normally broken down into the following steps :

• Numb the area to be affected.
  
• Isolate the tooth.
  
• Open the tooth to get at the infection.
  
• Remove the infection.
  
• Use a dental file to smooth and clean the canal.
  
• Take an X-ray to ensure infection removal.
  
• Fill the root canal - sometimes a post must be added.
  
• Make a new crown to restore your tooth.

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