Root canal treatment — also called endodontics – is a set of specialized procedures designed to treat problems of the soft nerve tissue inside the tooth.
While it’s often stereotyped as an unusually painful treatment, in most cases the procedure is no more uncomfortable than getting a filling.
It’s actually one of the most effective ways of soothing tooth pain.
A root canal procedure becomes necessary when infection or inflammation develops in the pulp tissue of the tooth.
Pulp tissue consists of blood vessels, connective tissue and nerve cells — which explains why intense pain can always be a risk during a procedure.
In time, the pain may go away… at least temporarily.
Without any treatment, however, the infection will not disappear.