How root canal therapy works.

One dental treatment for teeth suffering from pulpitis or pulp necrosis is root canal therapy. To remove damaged or necrotic pulp tissue, the dentist first drills the pulp chamber while the patient is unconscious. To eradicate the infection and stop it from returning, the dentist then cleans and disinfects the root canal. After cleaning, the dentist fills the root canal with a substance called a root canal filling. Finally, the dentist will cover the tooth with a temporary filling to protect it from future damage. If the tooth has healed, the dentist will remove the temporary filling at a follow-up appointment and replace the tooth with a permanent substance. The entire process may take several visits to complete. Infected teeth can be kept in place by root canal therapy, thus avoiding extraction and protecting your oral health.