Once a visual inspection has been made, a local anesthetic injection is administered in order to numb the specific area around which the procedure will take place. The numbing effect will appear shortly. After the anesthetic has numbed the area a dental dam, represented by a small rubber sheet, will be placed over the tooth in cause to protect and isolate that specific area, keeping the tooth clean and dry. Using a special drill, an opening is made on the top of the affected tooth to fully expose the dental pulp with the damaged nerve and blood vessels. Now the tooth pulp with be removed from its roots, forming a root canal. This is where the procedure got its name. The space is carefully disinfected and cleaned before a temporary filling is placed. In most cases, an antibiotic is prescribed to keep infections away in the healing process.