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Root
Canal Treatment
What is root canal treatment?
Root canal therapy refers to the process by which a dentist
treats the inner aspects of a tooth, specifically that area
inside a tooth that is occupied by its "pulp tissue."
Most people would probably refer to a tooth's pulp tissue as
its "nerve." While a tooth's pulp tissue does contain
nerve fibers it is also composed of arteries, veins, lymph vessels,
and connective tissue.
Where precisely in a tooth is its nerve?
Teeth are hard calcified objects but their inner aspects
are not completely solid. Inside every tooth there lies a
hollow space which, when a tooth is healthy, contains the
tooth's nerve tissue. Dentists use the following terms to
refer to various portions of this nerve area
The pulp chamber.
This is a hollow space that lies more or less in the center
of the tooth.
The root canals.
Each tooth's nerve enters the tooth, in general, at the very
tip of its root(s). From this entry point the nerve then runs
through the center of the root in small "root canals"
which subsequently join up with the tooth's pulp chamber.
What is the function of a tooth's nerve tissue?
Initially a tooth's nerve tissue plays an important role in
the formation and development of the tooth. Then, once the
tooth has formed, the function of this tissue becomes one
of helping to preserve the tooth's health and vitality. The
nerve tissue keeps the organic components of the tooth's mineralized
tissues (dentin and enamel) supplied with nutrients and moisture.
The nerve tissue also produces new tooth structure (reparative
dentin) as is needed so to help to wall off and protect the
nerve from insult or injury (such as advancing tooth decay).
A tooth's nerve tissue does provide a sensory function but
this role is probably different from what you expect. Under
normal circumstances the nerves inside our teeth provide us
with very little information. Yes, when activated by extremes
in pressure, temperature, or severe insult (such as a cracked
tooth or advancing tooth decay) teeth do respond with a painful
sensation. But under normal circumstances the nerves inside
our teeth remain relatively "quiet."
At this point you might be thinking that if you push on your
tooth with a finger or close your teeth together you will
feel a pressure sensation. Because of this you might assume
that that sensation must come from the nerve inside the tooth.
Well, in reality, that sensation comes from the nerves found
in the ligament that binds the tooth to the jawbone, not from
inside the tooth itself. This implies then, from a standpoint
of the normal functions we perform with our teeth, that the
presence of a live nerve inside a tooth is somewhat academic.
If a tooth's nerve tissue is present and healthy, wonderful.
But if a tooth has had its nerve tissue removed as a part
of root canal treatment then that's fine too. You will never
miss it.
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