Root Canal Therapy
Root canal therapy (endodontic therapy) is a technique used to save a diseased or damaged tooth. The alternative to a root canal would be an extraction or removal of the tooth. When the pulp is diseased or injured, the pulp dies. If you don't remove it, your tooth gets infected and you could lose it. A root canal treatment removes the soft tissue inside a tooth and replaces it with a solid filling material that is resistant to infection. A crown is then later placed over the tooth to help make it stronger.
A root canal treatment can usually be finished in one visit, but may require two. If you are nervous just reading about this procedure, IV sedation may be right for you.