Root canal treatment

Teeth and molars consist of a crown and one or more roots. The crown is the part you see. The roots are anchored below the gums in the jawbone. In each root runs a root canal containing connective tissue, nerve fibers and small blood vessels, also called pulp.

When there is inflammation in the root canal, or when inflammation is imminent, the dentist will perform root canal treatment.

Inflammation in the root canal can result from tooth decay or a leaking filling. A hard blow to the tooth or molar can also cause the contents of the root canal to become inflamed. Such inflammation can cause severe tooth or molar pain, since the pulp consists of nerve fibers, among other things.

In some cases, you may not experience direct pain symptoms, but you may experience sensitivity when pressure is applied to the molar or tooth with heat or cold.

Treatment

In all cases, the infection will need to be fought, otherwise the surrounding tissue may also become inflamed. The dentist will perform the root canal treatment under local anesthesia, so you will feel virtually nothing. The root canal is cleaned, the bacteria removed as much as possible and a filling to the root tip is used to close the root canal.

Cleansing the channels removes the cause of the inflammation and allows the body to heal it.