Root canal treatments are completed for a variety of reasons, but the most common one is to remove infected material from the inside of the tooth. And while the procedures are not pleasant, they only need to be completed a single time. Your dentist will do certain things to make sure this is the case. Keep reading to learn what they are.

In-Depth Cleaning

To ensure that a root canal only needs to be completed a single time, your dentist will complete deep cleaning procedures that are meant to completely remove all of the tissues, fluids, and nerves from the interior of the tooth. And, the cleaning will be completed all the way down to the very tips of the dental roots. 

To start the cleaning process, a hole is formed in the tooth crown. Once the access point is created, specialized tools called dental files are forced into the opening to break up the tissue so it can be easily pulled out of the tooth. The bulk of the pulp is removed during the initial cleaning. Once the pulp chamber is free of tissues and debris, the dentist will move down into the root structures. Very small files are used to clean these spaces. 

Root cleaning is essential when it comes to the completion of the root canal. If any tissue is left behind, then a new infection can begin. To prevent this, the dentist will make sure that the file used is small enough to fit down to the very tip of the tooth, but it will also be large enough to scrub out each root. Pressure is minimized during this process, as otherwise the tip of the tooth can break free.

Tooth Filling

Once the entire cleaning process is over, your dentist will decide whether the tooth itself needs medicine. Antibiotic treatment is often recommended if the tooth was infected and contained pus, and it will be packed into the tooth. You may need to go home for a few days to let the medication work. Once the medicating period is over, rinsing, drying, and filling will commence.

The filling of the tooth is another way to prevent the need for further root canal treatment. Basically, if the space is filled up within the tooth, then there will be no room for a new infection to develop. 

The tooth will be filled with a specialized rubber paste called gutta percha. It will fill the pulp chamber and the small roots and your dentist may X-ray the tooth afterward to make sure there are no places within the tooth that are not filled with the material.