When a tooth is threatened by severe decay, periodontal disease, or damage from an injury, a skilled dentist or endodontist must make a judgment call concerning the course of treatment. If the pulp of the tooth is infected or inflamed, a root canal is typically the only way to save the tooth.
During a root canal dental procedure (or endodontic treatment), the soft tissue in the root of the tooth is taken out. This tissue contains veins, arteries, and lymph vessels. Once the roots are eliminated and widened, they are filled with a special rubber material.
The root canal is only the initial step in the complete tooth restoration. After the root canal, without a crown, the tooth will become dry and brittle. The final processes are the core build-up and crown. At The Dental Design Center – Ira J. Handschuh, D.D.S., we engineer strong, natural-looking crowns that blend flawlessly with the surrounding teeth. With proper oral hygiene and biannual visits to your dentist, a tooth with a filled root can often function in a dilemma—free for the rest of a patient’s life.
I am cosmetic dentist Ira Handschuh, DDS, of The Dental Design Center – Ira J. Handschuh, D.D.S.. I have been practicing dentistry since 1996. During that time I have seen hundreds of teeth saved by this effective dental procedure. Root canal therapy has a very high success rate.
Because teeth with infected pulp tissue often do not cause symptoms, it is important to have regular dental examinations. I can determine which (if any) teeth have infected roots. If the infection in the soft pulp tissue is left untreated, it can advance to a point where the tooth cannot be saved.
