Endodontics
Endodontics deals with treating the dental pulp (tissue present inside the tooth, which contains the nerve, blood vessels and soft connective tissue) and the tissues surrounding the tooth.
This treatment is also known as root canal treatment: the dentist removes the pulp, fills the interior with a suitable filling material and seals the root with a thermoplastic rubber called gutta-percha.
Endodontics becomes necessary when the nerve tissue or pulp is inflamed or infected. If you do not proceed with endodontic treatment, the tooth will worsen, leading to pain in the inflamed area and also to the abscess.
The treatment is performed under local anesthesia, so the patient will feel nothing.
How a root canal treatment takes place
First of all, our endodontist – a doctor specialized in endodontics, i.e. the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases and lesions of the dental pulp – will take an X-ray of the arch to find out the shape and extent of the inflammation and be able to decide on the treatment most suitable.
After anesthesia, a latex dam is placed on the tooth, so that nothing can fall into the tooth, not even saliva, and the area to be treated remains dry. At that point the endodontist will remove the pulp tissue and clean out the canals.
Each canal is filled with gutta-percha and a sealing cement. Gutta-percha is biocompatible, so it does not cause any effects in the mouth.
The dentist will fill the tooth with a temporary filling: in a second session the tooth will be closed either with a permanent filling or with an artificial dental crown.
Endodontics: when is it necessary?
There are various symptoms that tell you when you need endodontics:
- formation of an abscess in the root of the tooth
- prolonged sensitivity to hot and cold substances
- severe pain, continuous or when chewing
- tooth breakage
When the dental pulp is infected, the bacteria multiply in the pulp chamber and, together with the dying pulp, create an infection or an abscess, i.e. a sac full of pus that forms at the root of the tooth. If the infection progresses, the pain and swelling can spread to other parts of the face.
Once the infection has been eliminated, thanks to root canal treatment, the restored tooth will be able to perform its masticatory function normally. However, it is important to pay attention to oral hygiene after endodontic treatment.