Treatment
Endodontics
Root canal treatment with anaesthetic
Endodontics is the branch of dentistry dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the tooth pulp and the tissues surrounding it (root canal therapy and surgery). Endodontic treatment aims to:
- preserve the tooth pulp where possible by covering it, directly or indirectly
- preserve the tooth with irreversible infection or dead pulp
- preserve the tooth with surrounding tissue infection, which is the result of long term infection of the tooth pulp or previous, ineffective, root canal treatment.
The tooth pulp, commonly known as the nerve, is principally composed of nerve tissue, blood and lymphatic vessels, and is found in what can sometimes be a very complicated system of root canals and chambers in the inside of the tooth crown.
Root canal treatment becomes necessary when the pulp is irreversibly infected, most usually as a result of tooth decay or the crown having broken due to injury. Treatment involves removing the infected pulp and bacteria from the chambers and canals in the tooth. Infected pulp can lead to the surrounding tissues also becoming infected, with the risk of other body parts becoming affected, such as the heart, joints or kidneys. It is quite common for symptoms of some general conditions to be reduced or even disappear entirely once a diseased tooth has been treated. Root canal therapy removes all the infected or dead pulp from the pulp chamber and canals, and, once the hollowed tooth has been cleaned and decontaminated, fills the space with entirely inert material.
Working on root canals is one of the most important parts of endodontic treatment. Complete success is dependent on:
- the total removal of micro- organisms and the remains of the decayed pulp,
- reshaping the tooth appropriately and
- sealing the opening to the cavity.
Root canal treatment is an effective therapy allowing the conservation of teeth and may form a preparatory stage in the rebuilding of the tooth with a crown.
