Even the mention of the word root canal makes many people wince because they believe that the procedure is painful. In reality, most patients claim to have had very little or no pain during the procedure itself and only a slight sensitivity to the tooth afterwards. With a success rate of about 95 percent, it is easy to see why most dentists recommend this treatment to fix the infected tooth.

You may be asking yourself, why do I need a root canal? Well, root canals are performed to stop the spread of infection. The meaning of root canal is a cavity found within the center of your tooth that contains pulp, the pulp chamber and the tooth’s nerves. When your pulp becomes damaged it allows bacteria into the tooth and the bacteria multiples. Once this happens the root canal procedure needs to be done to stop the bacteria from spreading and possibly causing an abscess. The procedure will be performed by your dentist or an endodontist, depending on the difficulty of the needed surgery.

The purpose of the procedure is to repair and save your tooth and to keep the infection from spreading. The doctor will go inside your tooth and remove the nerves and the pulp and then clear the tooth out. Once this is done your tooth will either receive a crown or a permanent filling. Some signs that you might need a root canal procedure done are intense pain in your tooth, a pimple-like bubble on your gums, swelling and tenderness. If you should experience any of these symptoms, you should make an appointment with your dentist. If you are having severe swelling it may be a sign of an abscess and you need to call your dentist immediately or go to your emergency room. Letting an abscess go without treatment can prove to be fatal if left untreated.