Endodontic (root canal) treatment is the removal of the pulp of the tooth to either prevent or resolve a tooth abscess. Teeth abscess because the pulp tissue inside the tooth becomes diseased or dies. This tissue then spreads to the outside of the tooth resulting in the abscess. Performing root canal treatment removes the cause of the abscess and allows the bone and tissue around the tooth to heal.  According to the American Dental Association, over 22million root canals are done in the U.S. every year and allow retention of one's natural teeth.

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As occasionally happens with any dental or medical procedure, a tooth may not heal as expected after initial treatment for a variety of reasons:

• -Narrow or curved canals were not treated during the initial procedure.
• -Complicated canal anatomy went undetected in the first procedure.
• -The placement of the crown or other restoration was delayed following the endodontic treatment.
• -The restoration did not prevent salivary contamination to the inside of the tooth.

-In other cases, a new problem can jeopardize a tooth that was successfully treated. For example:

• New decay can expose the root canal filling material to bacteria, causing a new infection in the tooth. A loose, cracked or broken crown or filling can expose the tooth to new infection. A tooth sustains a fracture. (content provided by AAE)

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