Root canal treatment

Root canal therapy refers to the process by which a dentist treats the inner aspects of a tooth, specifically that area inside a tooth that is occupied by its "pulp tissue."
Most people would probably refer to a tooth's pulp tissue as its "nerve." While a tooth's pulp tissue does contain nerve fibers it is also composed of arteries, veins, lymph vessels, and connective tissue.

nerve:

Teeth are hard calcified objects but their inner aspects are not completely solid. Inside every tooth there lies a hollow space which, when a tooth is healthy, contains the tooth's nerve tissue.

The pulp chamber:

This is a hollow space that lies more or less in the center of the tooth.

The root canals:

Each tooth's nerve enters the tooth, in general, at the very tip of its root(s). From this entry point the nerve then runs through the center of the root in small "root canals" which subsequently join up with the tooth's pulp chamber.

Function of a tooth's nerve tissue:

A tooth's nerve tissue plays an important role in the growth and development of the tooth, but once the tooth has erupted through the gums and has finished maturing the nerve's only function is sensory (it provides the tooth with the ability to feel hot and cold).

Dentists realize that on a practical level it is pretty much academic whether a tooth has a live nerve in it or not. If a tooth's nerve tissue is present and healthy, wonderful. But if a tooth has had its nerve tissue removed during root canal treatment that's fine too, you will never miss it

The Reasons For A Root Canal Treatment:

Root canal therapy has three purposes:
Stop the toothache
Prevent bacteria and pain from spreading into the jaw
Maintain the original tooth instead of replacing it with a denture or bridge.

Avoiding Root canals:

The best way to avoid root canals is to take good daily care of your teeth to prevent the growth and spread of bacteria.
Brushing and flossing are important.
Just as important are regular trips to the dentist, to check for the first sign of decay or cracks that could eventually lead to an infected tooth. In this case, an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure!

Non-Surgical Root Canal Treatment (NSRCT):

Non-surgical root canal treatment is a procedure directed towards saving an endodontically failing tooth. At times, the patient's existing artificial crown must be removed. In other instances, access through the crown may be possible.
The access opening is created in order to give the dentist non-surgical access into the root canal space through the biting surface of the tooth. Once this has been accomplished, a non-surgical retreatment procedure oftentimes requires: Locating and treating previously missed canals.Removing old filling materials from the root canal space.Removing posts and broken instruments.Enhancing existing root canal treatment.
Negotiating blocked canals and bypassing canal ledges.Repairing mechanical and pathological perforations in the root. Once these objectives have been accomplished, the root canal system is re-cleaned, re-shaped, disinfected, and three-dimensionally sealed. A protective restoration can then be placed and the tooth restored to a state of health and function.

Surgical Root Canal Treatment (SRCT):

Surgical root canal treatment is a procedural effort in which it is necessary to elevate a small flap of tissue adjacent to the involved tooth in order to gain access to and treat root canal disease. Surgical root canal treatments are usually minor, in-office procedures performed under local anaesthesia.
Once the pathological area is exposed, the doctor performs a "curettage" to remove the diseased tissue from around the root. This is usually followed by an "apicoectomy," a procedure in which the diseased portion of the root is removed.
A small filling is then usually placed to seal the remaining portion of the root. Surgical root canal treatment will oftentimes result in a good long-term prognosis for the tooth if the cause of pathology can be effectively eliminated. Unfortunately, on occasion, retreatment efforts may not be possible or cost-effective and extraction may be the only alternative.
However, saving a tooth that has been previously treated endodontically and is failing is usually possible, can be very predictable, and is typically the most conservative option for the patient.