Root canal therapy
 

	Stop the toothache
	Prevent bacteria and pain from spreading into the jaw
	Maintain the original tooth instead of replacing it with a denture or bridge

The root canal itself actually a channel that runs from the root of the tooth, which connects to the bone, up to the top surface of the tooth.  The canal contains blood vessels, nerves, and the complex cells that make up the living tissue inside the tooth.  This lifeline inside the tooth is called the pulp.

When a tooth is decayed or cracked, bacteria can get to the pulp.  The acid from the bacteria irritates the pulp and it becomes inflamed; it's the same process you watch when other parts of your body become infected.  When the pulp tissue becomes inflamed, it's harder for blood to flow to the tissue, and the resulting pressure creates pain inside your tooth.

Root canal therapy removes the pulp tissue that causes the pain. Generally it takes two appointments to complete root canal therapy. At Biloxi Family Dental Care, we often put our patients on antibiotics before the root canal therapy is done to kill the bacteria causing the inflammation and decrease the pressure thereby decreasing the pain. It is during this ‘window of opportunity’ that the root canal therapy should be done.

For more information about how we at Biloxi Family Dental Care can help you with your root canal problems, call us at (228) 388-7844, we will be happy to talk with you.