Procedure

The most common procedure done in endodontics is root-canal therapy, which involves the removal of diseased pulp tissue. The aim of treatment is to remove irreversibly inflamed, or necrotic pulp tissue before infection sets in. If the pulp tissue becomes infected, caused by bacteria from inside the tooth, the infection can leak out of the tooth's root and make the surrounding bone ill and painful or cause an abscess to form. Once the diseased pulp tissues are removed, the body's defense system can then repair the damage created by disease. Usually, this will require 2-3 visits to your dentist. The dentist will use a local anesthetic to make the procedure pain-free. In most places, it is considered a standard of care to use a rubber dam in order to isolate the tooth and provide a clean environment. An opening is made on the top of the tooth. Then the pulp chamber and root canals are cleaned and shaped for filling and sealing. Often, an intra-pulpal medicament to inhibit bacterial growth is placed and the tooth is filled with a temporary restoration until the second appointment, where the temporary restoration and medicament are removed and the canal(s) are sealed with gutta-percha--thus completing the procedure. Increasingly, however, endodontic treatment is being performed in one appointment as clinicians are finding fewer incidents of infection and pain with one-appointment vs. two appointment treatment.

Before & After

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