Endodontics or Root Canal Treatment
Endodontics, commonly known as "Root Canal Treatment", is a dental procedure that treats an infection in the center of the tooth (root canal system). The infection is caused by the same bacteria that live in the mouth and invade the center of the tooth when: a cavity invades the nerve or dental pulp, a filling or crown is ill-fitting, the dental pulp or nerve is affected by trauma ( a fall, teeth grinding, etc.)
Tooth Structure
The tooth is made up of two structures:The crown, which is the part of the tooth visible in the mouth andthe root or rootswhich extend into the jawbone or jawbone, holding the tooth in position. These are composed of the following structures: Dental pulp or Nerve: it is a soft tissue that is located in the center of the tooth. Enamel: It is the extremely hard surface layer that covers the tooth. Dentin: is the soft material that supports the enamel and forms the majority of the tooth. Cement: it is a rigid material that covers the external surface of the dental root. The root canal system contains the dental pulp or nerve and extends from the crown of the tooth to the end of the root. A tooth may have one (upper incisor) or several root canals (rear molars).
Infection
The dental nerve or pulp is made of soft tissue that includes nerves and blood vessels. The irreversible start of nerve death is when bacteria infect the pulp. After this, the number of bacteria increases exponentially. The bacteria and their toxins will eventually pass beyond the tooth through the foramen (hole) where the blood vessels and nerves that made up the dental pulp entered. This process continues indefinitely, since there is no medication that prevents the passage of bacteria to the root canal, which causes the tissues surrounding the tooth (periodontium, ligament and gum) to become inflamed and/or bleed. This can cause a lot of pain and in very serious cases a large swelling on the patient's face (dental abscess). Here you can learn when a root canal treatment should be performed: WATCH VIDEO
The Procedure
To treat an infection in root canals, the bacteria must be removed. This can be done as follows:
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Perform a root canal treatment, whose main objective is to save the tooth. During this treatment, most bacteria will be removed both mechanically and chemically.
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Tooth extraction (not recommended)
For a root canal treatment to be completed successfully, most of the bacterial colonies must be removed and the root canals must be filled with a plastic material. Another essential requirement for this treatment to be successful in the long term is that within a month the treatment is sealed with a definitive restoration, such as a white restoration or a crown. In most cases, the inflamed tissue surrounding the tooth will heal on its own without complications. The treatment of root canals should not be extremely painful, since a local anesthetic is applied and, normally, the time in which it is carried out corresponds to that of performing a restoration or white filling. Approximately 100% of the cases, 95% of the teeth will survive beyond 10 years, as long as the restoration is correctly performed.
Post-Treatment Care of Root Canals
It is very important that the following recommendations be followed:
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Avoid biting into very solid or hard food (toasted bread, nachos, pork rinds, etc.)
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Restore the channel treatment within a month.
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Maintain good oral hygiene.
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Minimize the intake of sugar in your diet.
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Give up smoking.