How Root Canals Work

A root canal is a dental procedure that is done to remove the infected or decayed pulp from inside of a tooth. The purpose of this procedure is to save the patient’s natural teeth and avoid needing to get the tooth extracted. During a root canal, your Grand Junction Dentist will enter through the crown of the tooth and clean out any infection or decay present in the pulp. They will then fill in the space with material and seal it off so that it can be properly restored.

What Happens During a Root Canal?

During a root canal, your dentist will first take an x-ray of your mouth to get an idea of what type of treatment you need. This step is important because it helps your dentist determine if there are any signs of infection or damage that they need to address during the procedure.

Once they have taken an x-ray, they will administer local anesthesia so that you won’t feel any discomfort during the process. Once numbed, they can then work on cleaning out any infected or decayed parts of your tooth and removing them from your mouth.

To ensure that no further damage occurs, your dentist may use files to shape the inside of your tooth before filling it up with a material such as gutta percha. This material helps keep bacteria from entering back into the area and causing additional damage down the line. Afterward, they may place a temporary crown over the area so that you can continue using it without pain until it heals completely.

Root canals are one way for patients in Grand Junction Colorado to save their natural teeth instead of having them extracted due to decay or infection. During this procedure, Dr. Josh will clean out any damaged or decayed areas within a tooth before filling it back up with material and sealing off its entrance so that no further damage occurs. With proper care after receiving a root canal, patients should be able to enjoy their restored teeth for many years to come!