The term ‘endodontics’ refers to an area of dentistry which deals with problems related to inside of the tooth such as the pulp, root canal and roots.

The pulp is the soft area within the hard area of the tooth (dentin) which runs from the top part (crown) down to the root at the bottom. The root is the part of the tooth which is located within the jawbone.

Endodontic treatment is undertaken on decayed or damaged teeth as a result of tooth decay although it can also be undertaken for cosmetic reasons.

Basically, there is root treatment for an infection and root treatment which is performed to enhance the condition of a tooth.

If you experience symptoms such as pain, swelling, gum tenderness, tooth sensitivity and tooth discolouration then these are warning signs of a root canal problem.

There are various types of procedures for root disease which include:

• Root end re-section

• Root end filling

• Endodontic implant

• Post and core repair

• Surgical removal of diseased tissues

• Repairing a fractured root