Tooth pain or swelling can be caused by an infection or damaged tooth pulp, root canal treatment cleans, disinfects and repairs the damaged area to save the tooth.

Your dentist will use local anesthesia to numb the tooth and surrounding tissues. They will then drill an access hole in the tooth and remove any infected tissue. Then they will clean, disinfect and shape the inside of the tooth and seal it.

Removing Infected Pulp

Inside your tooth, under the hard enamel and dentin, is a soft tissue called pulp that contains blood vessels and nerves. Pulp nourishes the tooth and helps it grow and develop. A damaged or infected pulp can be painful, especially when chewing or biting down.

During non-surgical root canal treatment, the dentist (or endodontist) puts you under local anaesthetic, which numbs the infected tooth and surrounding gums. They will place a rubber sheet or dam over the top of your infected tooth to keep it dry from saliva during treatment. Then they will use a drill to open the tooth and access the pulp, clearing away infected tissue with small files.

There are many reasons a tooth’s pulp can get infected, such as untreated cavities, dental trauma or extensive dental procedures. Proper oral health practices can reduce your risk for pulp damage, including brushing twice a day, flossing daily and visiting your dentist regularly.

Cleaning the Canals

After drilling an access hole into the tooth, your dentist will clean out the bacteria and other debris from inside the canals. This step is critical for ensuring success because it eliminates bacteria and bacterial byproducts, and prepares the tooth for a filling that will restore function.

Cleaning and shaping also provides a coronal seal, which prevents reinfection of the radicular space from the apical area. Historically, emphasis on obturation was placed over adequate cleaning and shaping, but it has been found that obturation is less important for prognosis than are debridement and canal shaping. It is important to maintain good oral hygiene habits after a root canal, including brushing, flossing, and rinsing with saltwater. It is also recommended that patients eat soft foods to avoid applying too much pressure on the tooth and dislodging the temporary filling or crown.

Filling the Canals

Before a root canal starts, your dentist will place a topical anesthetic on the area to relieve pain. Your endodontist will then use a file to create an opening in the tooth, allowing them to clean and dry the inside of the tooth. They will then select a rubber-like material called gutta-percha that fits the canal space, and they will seal it using an adhesive cement.

Your dentist will provide you with a prescription for narcotics or over-the-counter pain relievers to reduce discomfort after the procedure. They will also instruct you to eat soft foods and avoid chewing on the side of your mouth where the procedure was performed. This helps protect the curved canal passages and prevent infection. In addition, it’s important to maintain good oral hygiene by brushing twice daily and flossing once daily.

Sealing the Canals

After eliminating bacteria from inside the tooth and canals, they are shaped and filled with gutta percha, a rubber-like material that prevents bacteria from reinfecting the area. Then a temporary filling is put in the hole in the tooth, and the dentist will finish by sealing the access hole with a special cement.

The best sealant material available is EndoREZ, which uses a hydrophilic bonding agent to ensure a strong chemical union between the gutta-percha cones and methacrylate resin-based sealer. This results in a better resistance to dye penetration than calcium hydroxide-based root canal cement.

Crowning the Tooth

A root canal removes the damaged pulp, disinfects it and seals it so the tooth can feel and function normally. The dentist may recommend a dental crown to reinforce the tooth and prevent further infections after the procedure is complete.

The type of crown that a patient needs depends on the strength of the remaining parts of the tooth and the location within the mouth. Teeth toward the front of the mouth tend to require less restoration because they aren’t subjected to as much pressure when chewing.

In contrast, teeth toward the back of the mouth like premolars and molars typically need to be strengthened with a dental crown after a root canal. To ensure that a restored tooth remains healthy, patients must follow their dentist’s post-treatment guidelines and attend all scheduled follow-up appointments.