Root Canal
Treatment

What a lot of people may not realise is that half the tooth is sat underneath the gum. The part you see is called the crown, the part under the gum, sat in the bone, is called the root. 
When an infection occurs at the base of the root, or if the tooth is decayed to the middle part of the tooth, the remaining method of treatment to save the tooth may be Root Canal Treatment. Your dentist will be able to tell you if this is suitable for you.
The procedure for Root Canal Treatment is demonstrated in the image. First your dentist will gain access to the roots canals. Once all roots canals have been found they will be cleaned of infection, shaped and refilled.
This can take several appointments dependent on the ease of access to the tooth and root canals. The tooth will become weaker after treatment and your dentist may recommend you to have the tooth crowned to give it strength and durability.