Root Canal Therapy
How long will the restored tooth last?
Your restored tooth could last a lifetime, if you continue to care for your teeth and gums. However, regular checkups are necessary. As long as the root(s) of a treated tooth are nourished by the tissues around it, your tooth will remain healthy.
If you have any questions regarding Root Canal Therapy, please e-mail Dr. Parenti. He will be happy to send a reply.
 |
The pulp chamber and root canals are
filled and sealed. |
Root Canal Therapy is used to find the cause and then treat problems of the tooth's soft core (dental pulp). Years ago, teeth with diseased or injured pulps were removed. Today, root canal treatment has given dentists a safe way of saving teeth.
What is Dental Pulp?
The pulp is the soft tissue that
contains nerves, blood vessels,
and connective tissue. It lies within
the tooth and extends from the crown
of the tooth to the tip of the root in the
bone of the jaws.
When the pulp is diseased or injured
and can't repair itself, it dies. The
most common cause of pulp death
is a cracked tooth or a deep cavity.
Both of these problems can let germs
(bacteria) enter the pulp. Germs can
cause an infection inside the tooth.
Left without treatment, pus builds up
at the root tip, in the jawbone, forming
a "pus-pocket", called an abscess.
(See illustration above). An abscess can cause damage to the bone around the teeth. Without treatment, your tooth may have to be removed.
How your tooth is saved through root canal therapy:
 |
First, an opening is made through the
crown of the tooth into the pulp chamber. |
 |
The pulp is then removed. The root
canal(s) is cleaned and |
 |
The temporary filling is removed and
the pulp chamber and |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||||||
 |
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||