A few years ago, I started thinking carefully about what I could do to improve my smile. I had lived with crooked, yellowed teeth for most of my adult life, and honestly, I just wanted to feel beautiful. I started thinking about working with a cosmetic dentist, and before I knew it, I was in an office getting a complimentary consultation. I learned about a variety of different procedures that could improve my look, and it was really fun. I wanted to create a blog all about making smiles more beautiful, which is why I made this website. Check out this blog for great information about dentistry.
Endodontics is a field of dental treatment that is concerned with the inside of the tooth. Specifically, it focuses on clearing infection and preventing further damage to the dental pulp (the softer tissue located at the center of the tooth). Endodontic procedures are carried out by a specialist endodontist, who has undergone an additional two years of training on top of their normal dental schooling.
Endodontic Procedures
Root Canal
Root canal treatments are a common dental procedure that is necessary if the dental pulp becomes infected and inflamed. This can be due to deep decay, a crack in the tooth, or even a dental trauma that damages the pulp but not the tooth itself. The inflammation or infection of the pulp can lead to the formation of an abscess (a collection of pus, bacteria, and dead cells) at the bottom of the root. The abscess will cause pain for the patient.
Root canal treatment does not require the tooth to be removed. Instead, the infected section of pulp is removed and the area is carefully cleaned to ensure no bacteria remain. This area is then filled with a rubber-like substance before a filling or crown is added to help protect the tooth.
Endodontic Retreatment
Occasionally, a root canal procedure may not be totally effective and further pain and inflammation can occur. This may be due to the failure of the tooth to properly heal after initial surgery (for example due to contamination by saliva), or due to a new problem arising (for example, more decay or another crack in the tooth).
The retreatment is effectively a repeat of the initial root canal treatment. The endodontist will remove the filler materials from the root canal and perform another cleaning of the dental pulp, ensuring any new infection or abscess is removed. As with a standard root canal treatment, the area is then filled and a crown or filling applied to the tooth.
Endodontic Surgery
In some extreme cases even root canal retreatments can prove ineffective and a more drastic intervention is required. This may be due to the presence of fractures or canals not detected in earlier treatment, or calcium deposits in the canals.
The most common type of endodontic surgery is an apicoectomy, which is carried out when imfection has spread to the bone around the root. During this procedure the section of gum just above the tooth is pulled away to expose the bone, before the infected section and tip of the tooth root are surgically removed.
Share19 June 2015
