Root Canal

A root canal is a dental procedure that treats an infected tooth by removing the infected pulp and cleaning and filling the tooth’s root canals:

What it does A root canal is a treatment to save a tooth that’s badly damaged or infected, instead of removing it. The procedure involves removing the infected pulp, which is the soft tissue in the center of the tooth that contains nerves and blood vessels. The root canals are then cleaned and shaped, and the tooth is filled and sealed with a special material.

How it’s done Most people experience little to no pain during a root canal thanks to local anesthetics and dental advances. The length of the procedure can vary from 30 minutes to a couple of hours, depending on the complexity of the case.