ROOT CANAL THERAPY

"Root Canal" is the term used to describe the natural cavity within the center of the tooth, where the tooth's nerve and pulp lies.  The nerve and pulp of the tooth are not essential to the tooth's health or day-to-day function.  The only function of the nerve is sensory or the sensation of hot or cold.    

When a tooth has damage within the nerve tissue or pulp, bacteria begin to multiply and break down the tissue.  This can cause an infection or abscessed tooth.  An abscess is a pus-filled pocket that forms at the end of the roots of the tooth.  If an infection spreads past the ends of the tooth's roots, an abscess forms and can cause swelling, bone loss, and drainage problems.  

PROCEDURE

Normally this procedure can be completed in one or two visits.  Afterwards, your tooth will continue to function like any other tooth and with proper care, most teeth that have had root canal therapy can last a lifetime.

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Step 1: Dr. Scott takes an X-ray to see the shape of the root canals and to determine if there are any signs of infection in the surrounding bone.

Step 2: Local anesthesia is administered to numb the area near the tooth. 

Step 3: A rubber dam (or sheet of rubber) is placed around the tooth to keep the area dry. 

Step 4: An access channel is drilled into the tooth and the pulp along with bacteria is removed from the tooth.  We complete the clean out process by using a series of root canal files that scrape and scrub the inside of the root canals.  Water or a sodium hypochlorite solution is used periodically to flush away debris.   

Step 5: Now that the tooth is thoroughly cleaned, we seal the tooth with a rubber-like material called gutta-percha.

Step 6: The last step involves further restoration of the tooth.  Depending on the severity of the infection, the tooth can then be restored with a crown or filling for protection.