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In this brochure: DENTAL TREATMENT • Reasons root canal therapy is needed • Steps of root canal Root canal therapy can save your tooth Root Canal Your teeth are meant to last a lifetime. Years ago, diseased or injured teeth were usually pulled. ADA Healthy Smile Tips But today, a tooth can often be saved through root canal therapy. Therapy Endodontics (en-do-DON-tics) is the branch of dentistry that specializes in treating diseases or · Brush your teeth twice a day with injuries to the dental pulp. Endodontists are dentists that specialize in treating diseases of, or injuries a fluoride toothpaste. Can Save Your Tooth to, dental pulp. Your dentist may refer you to an endodontist to perform your root canal procedure. · Clean between your teeth daily. · Eat a healthy diet that limits sugary Diagram of a Healthy Tooth beverages and snacks. · See your dentist regularly for prevention and treatment of oral disease.

Enamel: hard outer covering of the tooth Crown: part of the tooth Gums (gingiva): soft tissues that help you can see support the tooth and hug your teeth tightly

Pulp chamber: space inside the tooth for the nerve and blood vessels

Dentin: the inner tissue that’s located beneath the enamel

Jawbone: bone that supports the tooth

Root canal: passageway for nerves and blood vessels

Root: Cementum: hard material that covers part of the tooth the tooth roots and attaches to the inside the bone periodontal ligament socket Periodontal ligament: tissue that anchors the tooth to the bone

Produced in cooperation with the American Association Nerves and blood vessels: supply of Endodontists, www.aae.org. the tooth with nutrients

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Treatment is needed for infected General steps of root canal therapy Root canal therapy or inflamed pulp Root canal therapy may involve one or more dental visits. The pulp is soft tissue inside the tooth that contains blood vessels and nerves. When the pulp becomes Your dentist or endodontist will perform the infected or inflamed, treatment is needed. necessary steps to save your tooth:

Pulp infection and inflammation most often occur 1. Your tooth is numbed for your comfort. if you have: A thin, flexible sheet of latex or non-latex • a cracked or chipped tooth material called a rubber dam is placed over • a deep cavity or filling your tooth to keep it dry. An opening is • other serious injury to the tooth made through the crown of the tooth into the pulp chamber. All of these can allow bacteria to enter the pulp and cause infection and/or inflammation. 2. Your tooth’s nerve or pulp is removed from the pulp chamber and the canal of each root of Tooth decay can cause The decay is removed The pulp is removed, The root canals and pulp Problems from infected the tooth. Each root canal is cleaned, shaped an abscess (infection). and an opening is made and the root canals are chamber are filled. and disinfected so that it can be filled. through the crown of cleaned, shaped, and or inflamed pulp the tooth into the pulp disinfected. 3. Your dentist may place medicine in the pulp chamber. The infection or inflammation in chamber and root canal(s) to help treat the Abscess the pulp can spread to the tissues infection. around the root of the tooth. This If not treated, tooth can cause pain and swelling, but decay can cause an 4. The treated root canals are filled with a even if there is no pain, bacteria abscess (arrow) and rubber-like material to seal them. How long will the restored can lead to serious from the infection can damage infections. 5. A temporary filling is placed in your tooth tooth last? the bone that holds the tooth in Image © Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. to prevent infection of the root canals. You your jaw. When properly restored and may be given antibiotics if the infection has maintained, a tooth with a root canal Without a root canal, the infection and damage spread beyond the end of the root(s). will continue and your tooth most likely will need filling can last for many years. But, to be removed. 6. Finally, your dentist removes the temporary like any other tooth, it can become filling and restores the tooth with a crown or decayed or fractured or the tissue a permanent filling to strengthen it and improve Removing but not replacing a around it can get gum disease. the way it looks. If an endodontist performs the Professional cleanings and regular procedure, they usually recommend that you tooth can create problems dental exams will help keep your return to your general dentist for this step. When a tooth is removed and not replaced, the A metal rod (post) may The crown of the tooth mouth healthy — whether you’ve teeth around it may shift. This can make it hard be placed in the root is then restored. If bone had root canal therapy or not. to bite, chew and clean your teeth. Areas in your For your root canal treatment to canal to help retain the is lost due to infection be successful, it is very important core (filling) material, at the root tip, this mouth that are not cleaned well are more likely which supports the will heal over several to have problems like decay or gum disease. to follow instructions from your dental restoration (crown). months after the root team and to attend all of your follow-up canal is cleaned and Root canal therapy can prevent these problems by sealed. saving your natural tooth. Also, root canal therapy appointments. is usually less expensive thanSAMPLE a replacement tooth. Panel 4 Panel 5 Panel 6 Panel 7 Proj#: _ • Line#: _ • Name: _ • Artist/Prod: __ • SPJ Category: _ • Special: _ •_