Root Canal Treatment, Sanford, FL

Root canal treatment usually involves the removal of the tooth's pulp, a small, threadlike tissue that was important for tooth development. The pulp is the soft tissue that contains the blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue of a tooth. It lies within the tooth and extends from the crown of the tooth to the tip of the root in the bone of the jaw. When the pulp is diseased or injured and can't repair itself, it dies. The most common causes of pulp death are a cracked tooth, a deep cavity, or an injury to a tooth. These problems can let the bacteria in saliva enter the pulp. The bacteria can then cause an infection inside the tooth. Left without treatment, pus builds up at the root tip forming an abscess. An abscess can damage or destroy the bone surrounding the teeth. Once the pulp is removed, it is replaced with materials that seal off the root canal from bone supporting the tooth's root. Years ago, teeth with diseased or injured pulps were extracted. Today, root canal therapy enables Dr. Horanic to save many teeth that otherwise would be lost.