Root Canal is needed when the nerve of the tooth becomes infected through decay or damage to the tooth. You may not feel any pain in the early stages of infection but as the infection spreads through the root canal system, this may eventually lead to an abscess.  The symptoms of an abscess can range from a dull ache to severe pain and may be tender when biting.

The procedure involves removing the infected nerve tissue from the tooth, cleaning out the root canal and then filling the space to protect the canal from further infection.