The procedure involves
removing inflamed or damaged tissue from
inside a tooth and cleaning, filling and
sealing the remaining space. The pulp,
or soft inner tissue of your tooth, is
normally surrounded and protected by a
layer of dentin. Above the gumline, the
dentin is protected by a layer of
enamel; below the gumline, the dentin is
covered by cementum. When a deep
cavity, decay or crack destroys these
protective layers, the pulp is exposed
to the bacteria in your mouth. This can
result in inflammation, infection and,
eventually, necrosis (pulp death). A
severe blow to the tooth can also damage
the pulp. Irritants may then escape
from the end of the root and cause a
diseased area (apical lesion) in the
bone.
Root
canal treatment removes the damaged pulp
and irritants. This allows the bone
surrounding the root end to repair and
heal.
Steps of the operation is
depicted below, click on each image for
better viewing.
