Untreated caries can lead to tooth inflammation, pulp necrosis, or pulp gangrene (you will find more about the stages of caries in our Cavity Treatment section). If this happens, root canal treatment, or endodontic therapy, is necessary.
Root canal treatment helps preserve the patient's natural tooth and removes the infection that can jeopardize overall health. It also relieves the pain typically associated with these conditions. The procedure consists of:
- Removing the infected pulp (the nerve tissue within the tooth) under local anesthesia
- Thorough cleaning and disinfection of the canal, eliminating infected tissue and bacteria
- Filling the canal
The final step in the treatment process is restoring the tooth after the root canal procedure.