“What is the procedure for a root canal?”

A **root canal** is a procedure to treat an infected or damaged tooth while preserving it. Here’s what to expect:

### **Root Canal Procedure**

1. **Numbing the Area** – The dentist applies local anesthesia to prevent pain.
2. **Removing the Infected Pulp** – A small opening is made in the tooth to remove infected or damaged pulp.
3. **Cleaning and Shaping the Canals** – The dentist cleans and disinfects the inner tooth to remove bacteria.
4. **Filling the Canals** – The empty space is filled with a biocompatible material (gutta-percha) to prevent reinfection.
5. **Sealing the Tooth** – A temporary or permanent filling is placed to protect the tooth.
6. **Placing a Crown (if needed)** – A dental crown may be added later to restore strength and function.

### **Recovery Tips**
- Take prescribed or over-the-counter pain relievers if needed.
- Avoid chewing on the treated tooth until it’s fully restored.
- Maintain good oral hygiene and attend follow-up visits.

Most people recover quickly with minimal discomfort. If you experience severe pain or swelling, contact your dentist.

First you will receive some local anesthesia to get you numb for the procedure. When everything is ready, the dentist or assistant will place a dental dam over the tooth. That is a square of a rubber-like material that is about 5" x 5" with a hole for the root canal tooth to pop through, It is stretched over a frame, making the entire thing look like a tent over your mouth with a tooth sticking out. It does not prevent you from breathing in any way, but is a big safety factor when using the tiny instruments necessary for the treatment. It also keeps the water and debris from the drilling and other parts of the procedure from getting in your throat and is necessary to keep saliva from contaminating the tooth during the procedure. It also helps you to keep your mouth open. The dentist will have consulted x-rays to determine where the pulp of the tooth can be accessed for removal. Once the pulp (blood vessels and nerves) is infected and begins to die (or completely dies), there are only two treatments that will completely address the problem- extract the tooth or remove the pulp (root canal). A small hole is drilled in the biting surface of the tooth to find the pulp chamber and the individual openings leading into the roots. Once completely visualized, the dentist will measure the length of the canals that run through the roots with an electronic instrument. Small instruments resembling needles are used to do that and, eventually, they will also be used to remove the pulpal contents from the roots. Sometimes that removal is done by hand, and sometimes a mechanical device is used to do that, or a combination of the two methods is used. Once all the bad pulp has been removed and the canals are cleaned, a special filling material is placed to fill and seal the canals. X-rays will be taken at various stages to verify different steps. Once the root canal treatment is finished, a temporary filling will usually be placed in the area that was drilled, the dental dam is removed and you can leave. Usually, the procedure leaves the tooth a little tender to biting for a few days, so Ibuprofen and Tylenol (alternating every 2 hours) make the recovery more comfortable. The length of the procedure is determined by the number of canals and their condition. In older patients with teeth that have been heavily filled or even crowned for a long time, the canals can become calcified, making it more difficult to do the procedure and not only lengthening the treatment but requiring additional appointments. A single-rooted tooth may take less than an hour, and a multi-rooted tooth may take 90 minutes or more with multiple appointments. For the patient, once the anesthesia has taken effect, a root canal is like a longer, boring filling procedure. Generally, the treated tooth will require a permanent filling and a crown for maximum strength and longevity. Delaying or refusing that final treatment can result in a broken tooth and the need for an extraction. You have a new patient question! All you have to do is reply to this email to answer. All questions and answers are for informational purposes only.

The tooth is anesthetized. An entry hole is made with the drill in the biting surface of the tooth. The canals are filed to remove nerve tissue and debris. The canals are filled. The access hole is restored. The tooth will more often then not require a crown afterwards. Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef>