Cleaning and Shaping (Step 1 of RCT)

Cleaning & Shaping of root canals is the first step during Root Canal Treatment (RCT). This helps to clear up the infection inside the roots of the tooth and thoroughly sterilize the root canals. It involves

1. Access Opening: It is done to gain entry into the root canals of the tooth. This is usually done under local anesthesia for painless RCT.
2. Chemomechanical Preparation: It aims to remove the bacteria, microbial biofilms and byproducts from the root canal system. It consists of use of 
   1. Chemicals i.e. irrigating solutions
   2. Mechanical devices i.e. endodontic instruments such as files