Root Canal Treatment
Root Canal Treatment is normally required after a tooth nerve
has died/ become "non-vital".
The most common cause of tooth nerve death is trauma: Either a
direct injury or following decay under old fillings/ crowns
etc.
The usually symptoms of a dying nerve are severe toothache and
pronounced sensitivity. This may abate and several weeks/ months
later be replaced by an abscess/ swelling next to the dead
tooth.
RCT allows the infection to be removed and the dead tooth
filled. The tooth still functions as before, but no longer has a
vital nerve.
Root filled teeth almost always require crowning after the RCT;
this helps seal the root filling and also prevents the tooth from
splitting/ cracking as they tend to be weaker after the RCT.
The crown can also correct any darkening of the tooth that has
occurred due to its nerve death