Yes, I get notified of all comments if they are on my livejournal page. However, if the comment is anonymous, then Anonymous does not get notified if there is a reply.
Boring Cliff Notes on Root Canals
A root canal is the most time consuming treatment you can have on a natural tooth. They do it when the nerve pulp has been breached or there is an infection at the root of the tooth (deep in the jaw.) Usually you need a root canal if you have a root that is causing so much pain it makes you hit the ceiling. I started having serious dental work at the age of 7, almost as soon as my permanent teeth came in, caused by not having adequate enamel on my teeth, and to date have had 17 root canals - so I have gradually become a layman expert on the procedure.
In root canal treatment they systematically remove all of the nerve tissue, the bulk of which is in the crown of the tooth, and then file out the nerve canals going down into the jaw, using tiny wire-like files. After removing the nerve tissue, they then sterilize and disinfect the canals (sometimes waiting a few weeks for the infection to clear up if there was a sizable area of infection at the root,) fill them with gutta percha (inert filling material), then fix a porcelain crown on the tooth. Sometimes if the natural crown of the tooth is badly broken they will add a post to give the porcelain crown holding strength. When I broke off two teeth in an accident, there was no crown left so the dentist made a post to hold the new crowns.