In the center of the tooth is the pulp, the nerve of the tooth. This nerve extends down through the roots of the tooth
and out into the jawbone. If a hole in the tooth is deep and the bacteria has reached the pulp, or if you hit it
your tooth, the nerve can die and cause inflammation/infection in the tooth bone. The nerve then needs to be taken
away and the tooth is root-filled. This is to be able to keep the tooth without the infection spreading
further.
Often the patient then presents with a toothache or other symptoms that indicate an infection and
the dentist performs a clinical examination with X-rays to assess the extent of the damage.
Local anesthetic is placed in the area around the affected tooth to ensure a painless treatment
for the patient.
The dentist starts by drilling away part of the tooth's crown to gain access to the tooth's nerve. Since
the pulp area is carefully cleaned using special tools and disinfecting liquids to remove
bacteria and infected tissue that cause the patient's pain and aches. Then the dentist can
start removing the nerve in the pulp area, also called the root canal, with special files.
Now that the root canal is clean and free of the nerve and bacteria, the root canal can be filled with a usually
rubber-like material called gutta-percha. Then the hole is sealed again with a special
sealing substance to prevent bacteria from once again penetrating the tooth and creating new ones
problem.
When the root canal is ready, the dentist can start building the dental crown again. This is done
either with a plastic material called composite, or a porcelain crown. This depends on how pass
injured the dental crown is.
Because a root-filled tooth is weakened after a root canal, the dentist often prefers to provide
the tooth with a pillar in the root that strengthens the tooth and a porcelain crown to prevent the tooth from cracking
the future.
After a root canal, the patient may experience discomfort such as pain and swelling, but this usually subsides
within a week.
