Root Canal Treatment

Root Canal Therapy in Mississauga

A root canal is a treatment to repair and save a badly damaged or infected tooth. The procedure involves removing the damaged area of the tooth (the pulp), cleaning and disinfecting it and then filling and sealing it. The common causes affecting the pulp are a cracked tooth, a deep cavity, repeated dental treatment to the tooth or trauma. The term "root canal" comes from cleaning of the canals inside the tooth's root.

Typically, the alternative option to root canal treatment is an extraction.

Common symptoms of a root canal infection:

• Sharp, acute or intense pain
• Pain when biting
• Sensitivity to hot or cold
• Tooth feels higher when biting
• Tenderness and swelling of soft tissue around the tooth
• Bad taste in the mouth

What to expect during a root canal:

• Numbing the tooth with a local anaesthetic
• An access opening is made through the crown of the tooth to the pulp chamber
•  Special files are used to clean the infection and unhealthy pulp out of the canals. Then they shape the canals for the filling material. Irrigation is used to help clean the canals and remove debris
• The canals are filled with a permanent material known as gutta-percha. This helps to keep the canals free of infection or contamination
•  A temporary filling material is placed on top of the gutta-percha to seal the access opening. The filling remains until the tooth receives a permanent filling or a crown