If you are getting a root canal, you will need to go through several office visits with a dentist or an endodentist, a dentist that specializes in tooth nerves. The kind of dentist that you go to for your procedure will depend on how difficult your case is overall. Naturally, your dentist will talk to you about what kind of work would be best for your particular case, but to find out what happens during the root canal procedure, read on.
What happens during the root canal procedure first is the x-ray. This is needed to see your root canals’ shape and to find out if the surrounding bones are infected. Your dentist will then numb the tooth’s surrounding area with anesthesia. Although anesthesia isn’t always necessary, it will usually still be provided to help you relax. A rubber dam will then be placed around your tooth to keep it dry during treatment.
After that, your tooth will get drilled to form an access hole and all of the bacteria, pulp, decayed tissue and other debris will be removed from it with various root canal files of different sizes. The sides of your root canal will then be scrubbed and scraped, and any debris will be periodically flushed away with water.
After your tooth has been properly cleaned, the dentist will seal it. Keep in mind that some infected teeth will require a week-long wait before getting sealed, though, so the medication can do its job properly. For such cases, a temporary filling will be placed outside the affected tooth to keep contaminants like food and saliva away.
When it is time for the tooth to get filled, a rubber compound and sealer paste will be placed inside the root canal of the tooth. Conversely, a filling will be placed to fill up the outer access hole that was created at the very beginning of the treatment.
Sometimes, what happens during the root canal procedure last is further tooth restoration. Since teeth that require a root canal usually have large fillings, extensive decays or weaknesses, restoration in the form of a post and crown will usually be needed for tooth protection and full function restoration. Any other extra dental work will be mentioned by your dentist.
Learn about the Root Canal Procedure and how a root canal can help counteract infection. Get the facts on Familiarizing With The Root Canal Procedure.