Thornhill Dental Surgery    
4 Edge Lane    Thornhill   
Dewsbury     WF12 0QR
Tel    :    01924 439959
Fax   :    01924 387400

 

 

 

A Root Canal is a procedure done for a variety of reasons and involves 3 main steps:

•  The 1st step of a root canal (endodontic procedure) is removing the pulp (nerve and vascular tissue) from the canal or canals of the tooth. This is done for a variety of reasons.

•  The 2nd step is filing or smoothing the inside walls of the canal. This is also done to widen the inside walls of the canal, making sure to remove ALL soft tissue from this canal.

•  The 3rd step is sealing the canal - usually with a rubber type material called gutta percha . This material allows an excellent seal which is important in preventing bacteria or infection from returning to the bone surrounding the tooth.

Some of the reasons for performing a root canal procedure would be:

•  If the tooth has an infection in the bone at the base of the root.

•  If decay has gotten into the pulp chamber of the tooth.

•  If there is not enough tooth structure remaining to restore the tooth, yet there is still healthy gums and bone surrounding the root.

Following a root canal, or endodontic procedure, most teeth will then require a post/buildup and a crown to restore the tooth.

•  After the pulp has been replaced with the gutta percha (rubber type material), the tooth becomes more brittle as it now dries out on the inside.

•  Since the tooth is more fragile there's a greater chance of fracture.

•  The post/buildup gives support to any restoration as well as filling in the area that is hollowed out to access the nerve chamber of the tooth - a necessity when performing a root canal.