Even though we emphasize prevention of decay as much as possible, we may still need to save a tooth’s function with root canal therapy. A tooth that needs a root canal has suffered decay or an injury that has reached the nerve. It is no longer viable.
But if we clean out the nerve and sterilize the inside of the root, then fill it with sterile material, that tooth may be capable of lasting for the rest of our patient’s life. We will carefully crown the tooth after a root canal to further protect it.