There is more to a tooth than what is visible to the naked eye. In fact, the majority of a tooth is the root, which is below the gum. The function of the root is to hold the tooth in place. In the middle of the tooth is dental pulp, which is made up of nerve cells and the blood vessels which provide the tooth’s blood supply. These are connected to the rest of the body by going through the tooth’s root, into the area known as the root canal. Occasionally, due to decay or silver fillings leaking, the tooth pulp can become infected. If this is left entirely untreated, the pulp can eventually die, and bacteria can then travel into the root canal, further infecting the rest of the mouth. This can lead to bad breath (due to all the bacteria in the mouth), abscesses, intense pain and even eventual tooth loss. To prevent all this, root canal surgery may be necessary when the pulp becomes infected.

What does root canal surgery involve?

After taking an x-ray and placing a thin sheet of rubber called a ‘dental dam’ over the tooth to prevent infection during the procedure, the dentist will administer a local anaesthetic to ensure that the treatment is pain-free. The next step is to make a small opening at the top of the tooth, to make the pulp accessible. Special narrow dental files are then used to remove the infected pulp, and then a special cleaning fluid may be used to clean around the new space and the root canal, to make sure that the source of the problem – the bacteria – is totally removed. The space is then filled with a permanent filling, and occasionally a crown may be used to provide extra support. This can usually be done in one visit.