What is a Root Canal

Root canal treatment, also called root canal therapy, is a procedure used to treat problems of the inside of the tooth, or the dental pulp. It is a way to save teeth that might otherwise have to be pulled. The treatment could involve from one to three visits to your dentist or Endodontist, (root canal specialist). During treatment, the diseased pulp is removed and the pulp chamber and root canals of the tooth are cleaned and sealed.

The root canals of a tooth are the parts of the pulp cavity which are inside the roots, and in a healthy tooth contain the vital (live) pulp tissues. The pulp is made up of mostly nerves and blood vessels. The nerves inside the tooth are responsible for transmitting feelings of pain and temperature inside the tooth. Root canals have different shapes in each tooth. They can also vary between different people and races, and they also can narrow as you get older.

Root canal treatment in North Salem is the removal of damaged or infected nerves and tissue from the inside of your tooth's pulp chamber.