A root canal involves several steps. The first step is to remove the infected nerve tissue from the tooth. The tooth is accessed from the top of the tooth, and the canals of the tooth are found. The length of the canals is determined, and the nerve tissue is removed.
The second step of the root canal involves cleaning, shaping, and sterilizing the canals.
The final step of a root canal involves filling the canal with a plastic material, gutta-percha.
This material seals off the tooth and helps to prevent a future infection.
The steps of a root canal may all be performed in one appointment or may be accomplished in two or three appointments depending on the size of the canals, the number of canals and the amount of infection present in the tooth. After completing the root canal, the tooth will be restored with the appropriate restoration, either a filling or a crown.
