Root Canal

All of your teeth are anchored into the bone by your tooth roots. Some teeth have one root while some teeth have three roots. In the middle of this root is a tiny canal that houses the nerve fibres and blood vessels that travel into the middle of your teeth. If these nerve fibres and blood vessels die (usually the result of a deep cavity), then one from of treatment is to make a small hole in your tooth and remove these dead fibres and vessels. The interior of the tooth cannot be left hollow and so it is filled with a rubbery material. This procedure is called a root canal.

When is Root Canal Therapy Needed?

• Severe pain in the tooth upon chewing or applying pressure on it.
• Prolonged sensitivity hot and cold food items and drinks.
• Discoloration or darkening of the tooth
• Feeling of swelling and tenderness in the gums.

Before we proceed with root canal therapy for your tooth, it is important to make a clear diagnosis to determine that you actually need one. We will usually take and X-ray followed by several diagnostic tests before initiating treatment.

Today, there are many methods to anesthetize(freeze) your tooth before root canal therapy. This is of the utmost importance because if you are properly frozen, you will feel very little or in most cases nothing when the root canal is performed. This is as important to us as it is to you.