The nerve and pulp become inflamed and infected due to decay, repeated dental procedures, and/or extensive fillings. This can also be caused by a crack in the tooth or facial trauma.

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Root canal treatment is usually performed over several visits to the dental office.

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During the first visit, a radiographic examination is performed to assess the condition of the root canal and determine if there are signs of inflammation in the bone surrounding the tooth. After diagnosing pulpitis (or periodontitis), the inflamed dental pulp must be removed by the dentist. Typically, the procedure starts with anesthesia.

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Next, to ensure the treatment area is clean and dry, the specialist places special barriers around the tooth or uses a dental dam, and uses a special suction device to remove saliva from the patient's mouth.

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The next step involves treating the tooth cavity and removing the dead pulp. Then, the dentist cleans the canals using special instruments, enlarging and shaping them so they can be filled later.

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After cleaning the tooth cavity and canals, preparations for filling begin. Some dentists wait a week before placing the filling, for example, if an infection is found, they use medications to combat it. Others choose immediate tooth filling. If the root canal cleaning is not completed, a temporary filling is usually placed to protect the cavity from food particles and infection.

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During the second visit to the dentist's office, the root canals are filled with a special paste, gutta-percha, or various types of pins that tightly seal the canals. A filling is then placed to close the tooth cavity.

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Following this, tooth restoration is performed. In cases of pulpitis, where the root part of the tooth is significantly enlarged and if it has been previously filled, the tooth structure is too fragile for a regular filling, and a crown is placed instead.

3.5