How are dental root canals performed?
Depending on the number of teeth and severity of the problem, root canals usually require one to two visits not including any follow-up visits. Your dentist or endodontist will numb the area around the affected tooth, or may offer you the option of mild sedation. The tooth is then drilled to the pulp area either through the top or the back of the tooth. The actual root canals are measured after some of the pulp has been removed. This is done so that the dentist can clean the entire canal, and so that enough of the filling material will be used to completely fill the canal. The actual measuring is done with either x-rays or electronic imaging devices. All of the diseased pulp in the tooth is removed, and the canal is cleaned out thoroughly with an antiseptic solution. This solution will clean all of the canals within the tooth. The canals are then filled with a flexible plastic material and a temporary filling is then put on top of that. A crown or permanent filling will be done after t
