Root Canals

Root canals are valuable dental procedures used to treat and preserve teeth that have badly infected pulps. The pulp is the live portion of the tooth that extends from the middle of the tooth into the root and contains nerve endings and tissue. When it becomes infected, patients may experience pain, swelling, and eventual tooth loss if untreated. Root canals remove the damage and infected parts of the teeth. The remaining portion of the tooth may be restored with a crown (cap) that provides a natural appearance and help teeth to return to their normal functions. Many patients associate root canals with pain and discomfort. Local anesthetics and advancements in modern dentistry have made root canals highly tolerable procedures, that are often no less comfortable than a standard filling.