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The aim of root canal treatment (also called ‘endodontic’ treatment) is to save a tooth that has been badly damaged due to decay, disease or injury.
Mostly it is preferable to save a tooth because generally it will function better than an artificial tooth. Losing a tooth leads to problems with biting, chewing and oral health.
If the pulp of the tooth is not treated quickly, severe pain and abscesses can occur leading to damage to the bone surrounding the root.
Root canal treatment involves cleaning, shaping and sealing the root canals. The tooth can survive without the pulp because it is nourished mostly by tissues around it.