Root Canal Treatment (RCT) is generally a simple procedure with little or no discomfort to the patient. Usually a RCT is required when the pulp (soft tissue containing the nerves and blood vessels) inside of a tooth has died. This can happen if the pulp becomes diseased or injured due to some trauma to the tooth. If at this stage the pulp is not removed the tooth can become infected (abscessed) and result in severe pain and swelling. Once the infection has reached a certain stage it becomes impossible to save the tooth and it has to be extracted.

"Root Canal Treatment is generally a simple procedure with little or no discomfort to the patient. Usually a Root Canal Treatment is required when the pulp inside of a tooth has died."

The treatment may require one to three visits, depending on how extensive the infection is. The treatment involves the removal of the diseased pulp and the cleaning and shaping of the pulp chamber and canals. Depending on the condition of the tooth medication may be placed in the tooth between appointments and/or the patient may be prescribed antibiotics. In the final step of the RCT the canals are filled with a rubber like material called gutta percha and sealed.

Once the pulp is removed from a tooth it is no longer "alive" and becomes brittle, thus the tooth has a higher chance of fracturing. For this reason, it is usually necessary to place a crown on the tooth after the completion of a root canal. If the tooth has a lot of missing structure, a metal post may also be required to strengthen the tooth. Once these procedures are completed the tooth has a 95% chance of lasting for your lifetime. However, sometimes a case needs to be redone due to diseased canal offshoots that went unnoticed. Occasionally, a root canal therapy will fail altogether, marked by a return of pain.