Root Canal

What is Root Canal Treatment?

A root canal is a treatment used to repair and save a tooth that is badly decayed or becomes infected. During a root canal procedure, the nerve and pulp are removed and the inside of the tooth is cleaned and sealed. Without treatment, the tissue surrounding the tooth will become infected and abscesses may form.

What Happens During a Root Canal Treatment?

A root canal requires one or more office visits and can be performed by a dentist or endodontist. Depending on the degree of difficulty ,some root canals may be referred to endodontist.

The first step in the procedure is to take an X-ray to see the shape of the root canals.Your dentist or endodontist will then use local anesthesia to numb the area near the tooth. Next, to keep the area dry and free of saliva during treatment, your dentist will place a rubber dam (a sheet of rubber) around the tooth. An access hole will then be drilled into the tooth. The decayed nerve tissue and related debris is removed from the tooth. A series of these files are used clean the canals.Water or sodium hypochlorite is used periodically to flush away the debris.

Once the tooth is thoroughly cleaned, it is sealed. Some dentists like to wait a week before sealing the tooth. At the next appointment, to fill the interior of the tooth, a sealer paste and gutta percha is placed into the tooth's root canal. A tooth that needs a root canal often is one that has a large filling or extensive a crown, crown and post, or other restoration often needs to be placed on the tooth to protect it, prevent it from breaking.