Root canal procedures typically require two to four dental appointments to complete the root canal treatment. Some people may count the additional appointments for the following tooth restoration as part of the root canal procedure.
When the tooth pulp becomes infected, a root canal is used to save the tooth. Otherwise, the tooth has to be pulled.
Root canal treatment is performed by a dentist or endodontist. An endodontist is a dental specialist who focuses on diagnosing and treating problems involving the tooth pulp including root canals.
Depending on the patient, the preferences of the dentist, and the procedure to be done, the dentist may use either a local anesthetic or general anesthetic. An inhaled gas like laughing gas is used as a general anesthetic which causes the person to be unconscious during the procedure.
Most people experience little to no pain during the root canal. After the root canal, people often feel better than they did before because the tooth pain is gone.
An infection of the tooth pulp is sometimes called pulpitis. If the infection has spread to the roots and into the surrounding tissue, the tooth has become abscessed.
A root canal treatment begins with drilling the tooth to gain access to the tooth pulp. The dentist may use the drill to remove the top surface of the tooth.
The pulp and nerve tissue in the interior chamber of the tooth and the roots must be removed. The dentist uses tools called root canal files to remove the pulp and nerve tissue.
A medication to fight infection may be placed inside the tooth before a temporary filling is used to close the hole in the tooth. Many dentists will then wait about a week to fill the tooth roots with a cement-like substance and cap the tooth with a large, permanent filling.
If the patient will be receiving a crown after the root canal, the dentist may use a temporary filling instead of a permanent filling to close the tooth. The crown will replace the top portion of the tooth that is above the gums.
A disadvantage of root canal treatment is that the tooth is then weaker than a natural tooth that has not had a root canal. The tooth may be prone to breaking. Broken teeth that had root canals are so common that it is often believed that root canals can only save a tooth for a limited amount of time.
If the tooth breaks, sometimes it can be repaired. A severe break may mean that the tooth would have to be removed. This can be disappointing considering that the person went through a root canal to try to keep the tooth.
The dentist may recommend getting a crown to replace the large filling on the tooth. This will restore the tooth and make it much stronger.