What is Root Canal Therapy?

Root canal therapy (endodontics) is performed on disorders of the nerve (or pulp). These teeth usually present with symptoms of pain, extreme sensitivity to hot/cold, pain on tapping/clenching/biting and/or spontaneous aching pain of long duration - occasionally, these teeth can be asymptomatic! In the past a tooth with a dead nerve was simply extracted but many of these teeth can be saved today!

However, root canal treatment is very time consuming and expensive. Always ask your dentist to fully explain the procedure to you and make sure you understand what you are getting yourself into! The diagram on the right shows a "normal" tooth.