Root Canal Therapy (Endodontics)
SE Calgary

Root canal therapy is necessary when the nerve of the tooth is affected by decay or infection. The most common reason for a tooth being affected or compromised is because of an untreated fracture or crack, a deep cavity, or some kind of injury to the tooth. In order to save a tooth from extraction, the pulp (the living tissue inside of the tooth), bacteria, nerves, and any decay are thoroughly removed and the resulting space is filled with special medicated dental material that restores the tooth to its full function. If left untreated, a decayed or injured tooth can lead to extreme pain, a dental abscess, or potentially the loss of the tooth.

It is the treatment of choice for a tooth that otherwise would die and have to be extracted. Oftentimes, patients believe that removing a problematic tooth is the only solution. This is not always the case. Extracting a tooth will often be more costly and cause significant issues for adjacent teeth. Root canal therapy is highly successful and often lasts a lifetime, although occasionally a tooth may need to be re-treated because of a new infection.