In the past, if you had a tooth with a diseased nerve, you’d probably lose that tooth. Today, with a special dental procedure called root canal treatment, you may save that tooth.

 

All teeth are hollow and contain what is known as the pulp. The pulp is the vestige of the tissue that originally formed the tooth, and contains nerve tissue and blood vessels.

 

When a tooth is cracked or has a deep cavity, bacteria can enter the pulp. Germs can cause an infection inside the tooth. Left without treatment, pus builds up at the root tip in the jawbone, forming a “pus-pocket” called an abscess. When the infected pulp is not removed, pain and swelling can result. Certain by-products of the infection can injure your jawbones and your overall health. The infected nerve must by removed either by root canal therapy or by removing the tooth as a whole.