The Procedure

How is root canal treatment carried out?

Root canal treatment may take one or several appointments to complete. It depends upon the extent of infection in the tooth and the number of root canals to be treated.

At the first appointment

•The area to be treated is numbed with a mild anaesthetic

•The dentist places a rubber dam over the tooth to keep it dry and prevent the bacteria in saliva from infecting the root being treated.

•The pulp chamber of the tooth is accessed by drilling a hole into it. In case of posterior teeth the access point is usually made through the centre of the chewing side while in the front teeth the hole is made behind the tooth.

•X-rays are used to evaluate the depth of the canals and cleaning equipments are used accordingly to clean out the infected tissue in the canals.

•The dentist may wash out the teeth periodically to clean out debris from the canal.

•X-rays are taken to verify whether the roots have been cleaned across their entire depth.

•A temporary filling is then placed and the tooth is sealed

At the next appointment

•The dentist numbs the treatment area using a local anaesthetic

•The rubber dam is placed over the teeth.

•The tooth is once more accessed by drilling it.

•The temporary filling is removed and dentist ensures that the root canals are dry and free from infection

•The root canals are then filled using gutta percha

•X-rays are taken to verify if the gutta percha has filled the canals completely

•The dentist then covers the tooth using a permanent filling or crown.

What can you expect following the procedure?

The tooth might feel a little tender for a day or two which can be alleviated by pain killers prescribed by the dentist