Leoncio A. Garza, DDS

Graduate of UTHSC San Antonio
1-Year Advanced Education in General Dentistry Residency
Fellow of The Academy of General Dentistry

Dental Services

What Is A Root Canal?
A ROOT CANAL is a procedure where we remove all the necrotic contents from inside the tooth.
Every tooth is originally alive, and it has blood vessels and nerve tissue inside of it.
When this tissue inside the tooth dies, whether it was from trauma or a bacterial insult
from a cavity or exposure to the oral fluids due to a fracture from an accident,
the nerve putrifies inside the tooth and causes a bacterial infection that could be very
painful. This infection must be removed in order for the tooth to be saved. We remove this
infection by making a small perforation on the top part of the tooth and removing the tooth
canal contents by using a series of small files that 'shave' the inside walls of the canals.
After proper 'shaving' of the walls, the canal is irrigated with a disinfectant to finish killing
the bacteria that remains. After all this is done we fill up the canal space with an inert
material like Gutta Percha(a rubbery type of material) and seal it up with special cement.

How Long Do Root Canals Last?
That is the twenty million dollar question. Every patient and every tooth postion
will have different results. If properly done they can last many years whether they are done
by a specialist or by a general practitioner. But, all will eventually fail due to reinfection or
fracture of the tooth. Sometimes a Root Canal can be retreated and it can again last many years.
But, chances of a successful outcome decrease by about ten to fifteen percent.

  

  

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