What is a Root Canal Treatment?
Once the patient consents to treatment, local anesthesia is then administered to numb the tooth. A rubber dam is then placed to isolate the tooth and maintain a clean, saliva-free environment during the procedure.
The Endodontist makes as conservative of an opening as possible into the crown of the tooth, or in some cases, through the prosthetic crown or bridge. Small instruments are then employed to clean the pulp from the roots, along with chemical disinfectants.
The Procedure Explained
After the roots have been cleaned and shaped to the Endodontist’s specifications, he or she will fill the resulting space with an inert biocompatible material – the most popular of which is referred to as gutta pecha. It is held in place with a special sealing cement.
The small hole in the tooth is then sealed with a temporary filling. A restorative dentist will then permanently restore the tooth with either a filling or crown within two weeks of the treatment’s completion. Any evidence of an abscess at the root tip should heal with bone over time, taking anywhere from several months to years depending on the individual case.