Getting to the root of endodontic (root canal) treatments. The goal: preserving the tooth.

A root canal treatment generally involves the removal and replacement of a tooth’s pulp. The pulp is soft tissue containing blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue. dThe pulp is found in a canal that runs through the center of the hard tissue on the inside of the tooth (the dentin). dThe pulp extends from the pulp chamber in the crown down through the root canal to the tip of the root in the jawbone. dA tooth has only one pulp chamber but may have more than one root and several root canals. If pulp becomes damaged through injury or disease and cannot repair itself, bacteria and their products can leak into the pulp and cause the pulp to die. If a root canal procedure is not performed, an abscess can form at the tip of the root and cause considerable pain. Even if there is no pain, the bone anchoring the tooth in the jaw can be damaged. Without treatment, the tooth may have to be extracted.