Root Canal

A root canal is the name of the space within a tooth that houses the nerve and blood vessels that nourish and give the tooth the sense of feeling. It is part of a naturally occurring space inside a tooth that consists of the pulp chamber (within the coronal part of the tooth), the main canal(s), and more intricate anatomical branches (accessory canals) that may connect the root canals to each other or to the surface of the root.

A root canal is also a colloquial term for endodontic therapy otherwise known as Root Canal Treatment (RCT). When tooth decay has entered the pulp or the pulp has been subjected to trauma or heat, the nerve may die. This death may be gradual or sudden, painless or very painful. In any case, root canal therapy will be needed to prevent or treat an abscess. The tooth will then need to be properly restored as it will "dry out," become brittle, and usually darken from the absence of the pulp. This condition is generally treated with a dental crown. If left untreated, it is likely that the neighboring healthy teeth will also get affected and start to decay.

The term root canal has become synonymous with pain, but most root canals are painless after the patient is made numb by means of anesthesia. After the treatment, the tooth may be sore for a few days and pain killers are prescribed to control this. Root canals can become a nightmare when a patient neglects the condition and comes in to the dentist's office with swollen and infected gums to the point where the anesthetic will not work.

Remember, people seldom rave about how great and painless a root canal went. But if it goes less than smooth, they will tell the world! This gives the false perception that all root canals are an awful experience, when they are not always so!

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