Root Canal Procedure

Our dentists knows that the best teeth are your own natural teeth and they will make sure that you understand why this is so. In the event that a tooth has decayed beyond a simple filling then a root canal procedure lets you keep the dead tooth instead of extracting it.

Keeping a tooth in place helps to prevent your other teeth from drifting out of line and causing jaw problems or gum disease. Saving a natural tooth avoids having to replace it with either a bridge or an implant.

What is Root Canal Treatment?
A root canal treatment is the process of removing the infected or dead pulp from a tooth.

Teeth have three hard layers:
enamel
dentin
cementum

Inside the hard outer layers of each tooth there is soft dental pulp made up of nerves and blood vessels that help the tooth grow and develop. After a tooth is fully-grown it can survive without the pulp. If the pulp of a tooth becomes infected, a root canal procedure is needed to remove the dead pulp and the nerve in order to preserve the tooth.

Root canal specialists are called endodontists, and a pediatric dentist is a specialist that works with children. Dr. Popat has been trained, and has practised in both areas of expertise. If your child's baby (or primary) tooth is damaged, Dr. Popat can be of great assistance by offering her knowledge in this area. If you notice a problem with a tooth, do not wait until it starts to hurt. Call your dentist as soon as you injure a tooth or notice a cavity or loose filling. If you get attention quickly, there is a better chance that damage can be prevented and the tooth saved.