Root Canal Treatment
Untreated cavity is one of the major reason for infection to the pulp in the tooth, once infected pulp needs to be removed. This removal of the pulp and filling the tooth with dental materials is called Root Canal Treatment. Pulp nourishes tooth when it emerges and when tooth is growing. Once the tooth has matured, pulp can be fully removed without destroying the tooth. Pulp infection is not the only reason for Root Canal Treatment. You may need root canal if -
1. Decay has reached the living tissue inside (pulp/ nerve) the tooth
2. Infection or abscess have developed inside the tooth or at the root tip
3. Injury or trauma to the tooth
4. Severe toothache pain
5. Sensitivity to hot and cold
Usually, an RCT tooth needs to be covered by a cap/crown. This saves the tooth from further damage and restores the tooth to its normal function. If root canal therapy is not performed, the tooth needs to be removed. Removal of tooth will prevent infection to spread to other parts of the face and neck. It is always better to preserve the natural tooth. If a tooth is missing, other neighboring tooth will start drifting and may get uneven chewing forces. Doing RCT will help avoid other dental procedures such as implants and bridges. Once treated tooth can last for the rest of the life.