Do you know what tooth pulp is? It is that soft tissue found inside the tooth, below the dentin. It grows from the roots (where it connects directly to the bone) to the crown and is composed of connective tissue, nerve tissue, and blood vessels. When these internal tissues become damaged due to trauma or some pathology, the tooth can be saved by endodontic treatment.
Causes of tooth pulp inflammation and when to seek endodontic treatment
The term endodontic treatment probably doesn't ring a bell, but you've certainly heard of root canal treatment or, more often, devitalization.
Basically, these are synonyms: such treatment is used wheninflammation of the tooth pulp occurs.
Enamel is an impermeable barrier that prevents bacteria from attacking the inside of the tooth; however, if there is any damage on this protective surface, bacteria are able to creep in and cause inflammation of the pulp.
This can happen, for example, when there is deep decay or when there is trauma that causes a fracture of the tooth.
Unfortunately, bacteria are not content: after causing inflammation of the pulp, they can cause its death (referred to as necrosis), and then attack the root tip and bone, generating an infection (theabscess).
It is therefore very important to take action when there are early warning signs. One can become aware of the presence of inflammation of a tooth pulp when symptoms such as:
- Increased sensitivity to cold and heat;
- Pain during chewing or upon palpation of the gingiva in the area of the tooth;
- swelling.
It should be mentioned that in some cases inflammation can develop without manifesting any symptoms: this is also why, as the professionals in Dr. Savasta's office also advise, it is most important to have periodic checkups.
The stages of treatment
The goal of endodontic treatments is to restore the tooth's functionality, but to do so, one must first ensure that it is no longer a reservoir of infection and then reconstruct the crown.
It may seem like a complicated operation, but under normal conditions the success rate is close to one hundred percent. In addition, the development of new techniques and machine moves has made it possible to speed up the timeline, even for the most difficult teeth such as molars.
The treatment unfolds through many stages: everything starts withlocal anesthesia, because if the pulp is still sensitive the patient may feel pain. If it is very compromised, we then proceed with crown reconstruction, removing all the decay, but safeguarding the tooth walls as much as possible.
At this point, the surgical field is isolated with the application of the rubber dam. The specialist can now proceed by creating a cavity on the chewing side of the tooth to access the pulp.
Using appropriate equipment, the canals are identified and measured, which are then "cleaned": using endodontic instruments, contaminated pulp is removed, the canals are disinfected, and the walls are prepared forobturation.
This is done using a special moldable plastic material in combination with a root canal cement (these are always insoluble and biocompatible materials). At this point, definitive crown reconstruction can be performed. At the end of the treatment, a radiographic check is performed.
Success rates
If you also fall among the people who are afraid to go to the dentist because they are afraid of feeling pain, you can rest assured: the team at the Savasta office knows how to welcome you to make you comfortable. Also, as mentioned, the patient undergoes the treatment under local anesthesia, so there is no pain.
The effect of the anesthetic may last for a while even after the procedure, after which you may experience discomfort, easily managed with regular analgesics, or notice increased sensitivity of the tooth to pressure.
Nothing to worry about: these are normal things destined to fade in a few days. The success rate in endodontic procedures is really very high: only in very special cases does the tooth continue to hurt (it can happen in case of root fractures, abnormalities of root anatomy or in other very rare situations). In these cases, in order to permanently solve the problem,extraction of the tooth must be used.
