Root canal treatment (also referred to as root canal therapy or endodontic therapy) is made necessary when a cavity is allowed to reach all the way to the pulp resulting in irreversible inflammation and infection in the tooth’s nerve chamber. (Regular cleanings and checkups prevent and detect decay problems early). Sometimes deep restorations or trauma to a tooth can cause the nerve to be damaged to the point it needs root canal therapy. Once the pulp becomes infected, it can extend through the root tip and begin to cause bone dissolution in the surrounding area. (this is an abscess). By the time the pulp is infected it must be treated in order to keep the tooth in place because it cannot heal on its own. It can even weaken the entire immune system. This is dangerous, not to mention very painful. The alternative is to extract the tooth. Symptoms that the pulp has become infected may include sensitivity to hot/cold or sweets, pain, swelling, pain to biting or pressure, and a bad taste in the mouth. Sometimes, however, no symptoms are apparent and the person is unaware of any problem until a checkup.