Why do you need a root canal treatment?

Most people are conscious of their teeth when they smile. How often you smile can affect how you are perceived in all walks of your life. A healthy set of teeth is a pre-requisite of any good smile. So what do you do if you continue to have problems with an infected tooth? A root canal treatment is the best way to remove the pulp tissue from the tooth and stop the infection spreading to the surrounding tissues.

If you feel a stinging pain in a tooth when it is exposed to something hot or cold or if it hurts when you try to touch, push or bite down on the tooth, you may have an infected tooth which could need a root canal treatment. In some cases, inflammation is also visible very close to the tooth.

A dental surgeon is the best person to confirm whether you need a root canal treatment. The root canal therapy is usually conducted after administering local anaesthesia. This makes it virtually pain free. The procedure normally requires two visits to the dentist. The first is to excavate the pulp chamber to remove any infection. The second to check the tooth is now free from infection and to fill the root canals and ultimately to fill the tooth with a permanent filling or fit a crown.