Smart Dental

ROOT CANAL THERAPY

The purpose of having root canal therapy is to salvage a tooth that has been damaged, which could be caused by:

• repeated dental work to the tooth
• breakdown of a filling
• a deep cavity
• trauma
• gum disease
• crack or chip in the tooth
• extreme wear

Most patients prefer to save the original tooth rather than replacing it with an artificial one because the original tooth is generally stronger and functions better. Early symptoms of the need for root canal treatment include:

• pain
• sensitivity to heat or cold
• tooth discolouration
• swelling and soreness in the gum
• surrounding the tooth

Root canal therapy should start as early as possible to improve the chances of success.