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I was told I needed a Root Canal - what exactly does that mean? Answer: When a tooth has a cavity that is small or medium in size, then the bacteria that caused the cavity can be removed and a filling or a crown is done. The nerve space of a tooth has a blood supply. When a cavity is so big that the nerve space of the tooth is breached, then the bacteria can feed off the sugar in your bloodstream and fill the tooth with infectious bacteria, and even the bone and tissue surrounding the tooth. When a cavity has reached this point, the only way to stop the infection is to remove the tooth, or, if the tooth can be saved, a Root Canal can be done. A Root Canal is a procedure where the infection is cleaned out of the nerve space of the tooth. The nerve space is then shaped, and then sealed. This in conjunction with antibiotic therapy, stops the infection and prevents further infection from occurring. In most cases a tooth which has had a Root Canal also needs a crown to further seal the tooth and protect it. If you have specific questions concerning your treatment, please call us. We'd be glad to answer any other questions you might have. |