Root canal therapy, also known as endodontic therapy, is a dental treatment for removing the diseased or damaged pulp (nerve) of the tooth. After the removal of a damaged tooth, the inside areas of the nerve chambers or root canals are filled and sealed.
Procedure
- As a first step, local anesthesia is administered to the tooth which is to be treated.
- After the tooth and the surrounding area becomes numb, the endodontist drills an opening through the crown or the biting surface of the tooth to access the pulp chamber.
- Using specially created files the endodontist cleans out the infected, diseased and dead pulp from the canals.
- Once the infected and dead tissue removed, the canals are disinfected using disinfectants.
- The canals are shaped with fine instruments so that they can be filled with the root canal fillings known as gutta-percha and sealed.
- Temporary cover material is placed above the gutta-percha.
- Sometimes, a post is placed into the canal next to the gutta-percha to give the crown more support.
- Finally, the crown is cemented in place so that it never dislodged.
Benefits
- Prevents infection from spreading and save the tooth from extraction.
- Relieves pain caused due to inflammation.
Dental Implant
