Root Canal Therapy

Root canal therapy refers to the treatment of the inner aspects of a tooth, specificiallly the pulp tissue (the nerve and blood supply for the tooth).  An infection inside your tooth that reaches the root and its nerves can be painful, and a root canal is needed.  Other causes for root canal therapy include trauma, deep decay, or a cracked tooth.  Sometimes there may be no apparent cause, only that a tooth hurts. 

Root canal therapy relieves the pain by removing the pulp of the tooth and then refilling the space to keep the area clean.  Antibiotics are sometimes uses in addition to root canal therapy to help treat the infection.  After a root canal, the tooth will likely require a crown, because the process causes the tooth to become more brittle.