When the nerve of your tooth becomes infected, a successful root canal treatment lets you keep the tooth rather than having it pulled. Keeping your tooth helps prevent your other teeth from drifting out of line and causing jaw problems.
Root canal treatment removes infected, injured or dead pulp from your tooth. The space inside the hard layers of each tooth is called the root canal system. It is filled with soft dental pulp made up of nerves and blood vessels that help your tooth grow and develop.
When bacteria enter your tooth through deep cavities, cracks or flawed fillings, the tooth can become abscessed — an infection in the pulp. An abscessed tooth may cause pain or swelling, and if left untreated can cause serious oral health problems. Your dentist may notice the infection on an x-ray or from other changes in the tooth.
Contrary to common belief, root canal treatment is no longer painful, thanks to advances in technology and the safe techniques our dentists use.