Root Canal Therapy
Tampa FL General & Cosmetic Dentists, Drs. Kavouklis
When the nerve of a tooth becomes infected or abscessed, root canal therapy is the only way to save the tooth. A tooth can become abscessed as a result of deep decay, a cracked tooth, or trauma to the tooth. The only alternative to root canal therapy is an extraction. A tooth that has undergone root canal therapy is more brittle and must be crowned to give the tooth significant strength. The tooth is cared for the same way as other natural teeth.
During root canal therapy the tooth is numb just like having a filling then the unhealthy nerve is removed and medication is placed in the tooth to treat the infection. After the infection is removed and treated, a filling is placed in the roots where the unhealthy nerve was. In some cases a root canal can be started and completed in one appointment.