Few things are as shorn of complexity as the root canal treatment so much so that the basic principles of performing them have been unchanged from the times Romans inserted bronze wires into their teeth to treat the infection.
Once the shooting pain has been diagnosed as being due to a bacterial infection within the tooth, the dentist drills a hole, scoops out the infected pulp, disinfects the tooth and fills the space with an antibacterial sealant like bleach or hydrogen peroxide.
The hope is that the job is thorough and the vanquished bacteria doesn’t rejuvenate. Estimates from the United States suggest that of the 35 million dental procedures to treat a root canal, about 10% are failures.
