Root canal
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Root canal procedure: unhealthy or injured tooth, drilling
and cleaning, filing with endofile, rubber filling and crown
An X-ray image showing right mandibular first molar which
has had a root canal operation (endodontic therapy) performed on it
For the root canal operation, see endodontic therapy.
A root canal is the space within the root of a tooth. It is
part of a naturally occurring space within a tooth that consists of the pulp
chamber (within the coronal part of the tooth), the main canal(s), and more
intricate anatomical branches that may connect the root canals to each other or
to the surface of the root.
The smaller branches, referred to as accessory canals, are
most frequently found near the root end (apex) but may be encountered anywhere
along the root length. There may be one or two main canals within each root.
Some teeth have more variable internal anatomy than others. This space is
filled with a highly vascularized, loose connective tissue, the dental pulp.
The dental pulp is the tissue of which the dentin portion of
the tooth is composed. The formation of secondary teeth (adult teeth) is
completed by 1-2 years after eruption into the mouth. Once the tooth has
reached its final size and shape, the dental pulp's original function ceases
for all practical purposes[citation needed]. It takes on a secondary role as a
sensory organ.
Root canal is also a colloquial term for a dental operation,
endodontic therapy, wherein the pulp is cleaned out, the space disinfected and
then filled.
Contents [hide]
1 Tooth structure
2 See also
3 Notes
4 External links
[edit]Tooth structure
At the center of a tooth is a hollow area that houses soft
tissue, known as pulp or nerve. This hollow area contains a relatively wide
space in the coronal portion of the tooth called the pulp chamber. This chamber
is connected to the tip of the root via narrow canal(s); hence, the term
"root canal". Human teeth normally have one to four canals, with
teeth toward the back of the mouth having more. These canals run through the
center of the roots like pencil lead through the length of a pencil. The pulp
receives nutrition through the blood vessels and nerves carry signals back to
the brain to warn of adverse events and circumstances.
For many people who experience tooth pain or discomfort, a root canal may be recommended, and a qualified dentist or more preferably an endodontist (root canal therapy specialist) should be consulted in a timely manner.
