Saving Teeth Through Endodontic Therapy
What’s endodontic
therapy?
The word “endodontic” comes
from “endo” meaning inside and “odont” meaning tooth. Like many medical
terms, it’s Greek.
The actual procedure involves removing infected or damaged tissue from
inside a tooth and cleaning, filling and sealing the remaining space.
Why do I need it?
The pulp, or soft
inner tissue of your tooth, is normally surrounded and protected by
a layer of dentin. Above the gumlime, the dentin is protected by a layer
of enamel; below the gumline the dentin is covered by cementum. When
a crack or cavity destroys these protective layers, the pulp is exposed
to the bacteria in your mouth. This can result in infection and, eventually,
an abscess. A severe blow to the tooth can also damage the pulp. Endodontic
therapy removes the infected or damaged pulp and / or abscess and returns
the tooth to a health condition.
Couldn’t I just have
the tooth removed?
You could, but then adjoining
teeth can shift, interfering with biting and chewing. Loss of a tooth
can also lead to gum disease and loss of additional teeth. You can have
a replacement tooth implanted or attached to adjacent health teeth,
but this can be expensive and requires even more dental work. There
is no real substitute for your own tooth, which is more efficient in
chewing and biting than an artificial one would be.
What happens during endodontic treatment?
An examination, including
X-rays, will be performed. A local anesthetic will be given if necessary.
A sheet of latex, called a “rubber dam”, will be placed around the tooth
to isolate it and to keep it clean and dry during treatment. The treatment
consists of the following basic steps, but the number of visits you
make to the endodontist will depend on your reticular case.
Step 1.
An opening is made in the
crown of the tooth.
Step 2.
The pulp is removed from the
pulp chamber and root canals. Tiny instruments are used to clean the
root canals and to shape them to a form that will be easy to fill. Medication
may be placed in the canals and an atibiotoc may be prescribed if the
tooth is infected.
A temporary filling may be placed in the opening to protect the tooth
between visits. Sometimes if an inflection is still present your tooth
may be left open to drain, and the filling will be placed at a later
date.
Step 3.
When completely clean and
free of infection, the root canals are filled and sealed with a material
that prevents bacteria from reentering. The opening in the crown of
the tooth is sealed with a temporary filling. After treatment, X-rays
usually are taken.
Step 4.
The temporary filling will
be replaced by your regular dentist with a permanent filling or some
other protective covering such as a crown.
Is it going to hurt?
With modern techniques and
analgesics people report that having a root canal is about as unremarkable
as having a cavity filled. Should you experience any discomfort, signal
your endodontist and he or she do everything possible to make you comfortable.
After treatment, over-the-counter analgesics should alleviate any discomforts
you may feel. If you experience severe or prolonged discomfort, call
your endodontist.
How long will my tooth last?
Although the pulp is removed,
your tooth remains alive, nourished by surrounding tissues. With regular
brushing and flossing, proper diet and periodic dental checkups your
teeth may last a lifetime.
What’s an endodontist?
An endodontist is a dentist
with advanced training in treating the diseased or damaged pulp, or
soft inner tissues, of your teeth. Endodontists spend at least two years
after dental school training to become specialists in the techniques
involved in diagnosing and treating dental problems that originate inside
your teeth. In practice, they perform only endodontic procedures and
therefore have extensive experience in this area.