Do you know what endodontics is? If this is the first time you have heard this word, you may not know what it means, although if we are talking about killing the nerve, it may be more familiar to you; this procedure is also known as root canal treatment or root canal treatment.
Endodontics is one of the most frequent and most requested treatments in dentistry. Thanks to this treatment there is the possibility of saving a tooth from extraction when it is damaged by a very deep cavity. This post explains what endodontics is and in which cases it should be used.
What is endodontics?
Endodontics is the total removal of the pulp; explained very briefly, a dental endodontics is a procedure that is carried out to ‘kill the nerve’ of a tooth when it causes us continuous pain and there is no possibility of solving it in any other way. It consists of a cleaning procedure of the root canal system in which bacteria and necrotic tissue are removed to leave the canal as aseptic as possible.
As stated by the Council of Dentists, a root canal is based on scientific evidence and its main objective is to save the tooth and maintain the surrounding tissues, whether gum or bone.
Tooth decay is the main reason for inflammation and infection of the dental nerves. However, there are also other reasons for resorting to this treatment: trauma, fractures, abrasion, wear and tear, among others.
Depending on the number of canals that the tooth has, one endodontic model or another is identified:
- Uniradicular endodontics. This is carried out on teeth that only have one root or canal. These teeth are usually incisors and canines.
- Biradicular endodontics. This method is performed on teeth with two canals, such as lower molars or upper second premolars.
- Multi-radicular root canal treatment. This is performed on teeth with three or more canals, such as upper molars.
In which cases is endodontics performed?
The dental pulp or nerve of the tooth is located in the innermost part of the tooth, where the blood vessels and nerve endings are located. When it becomes inflamed, usually due to an infection caused by decay, it causes severe pain, swelling and sensitivity to heat or cold. Treatment of inflammation in the pulp usually requires root canal treatment.
Endodontics is a safe and effective technique. The functionality and natural appearance of your tooth is restored quickly. After root canal treatment, the treated tooth will behave like any other healthy tooth and only in very few cases will it be necessary to root canalise the tooth. This is usually only done in cases where root canal treatment has not worked as expected, usually due to the inability to remove all the bacteria present in the root canals. In this case, a second cleaning is performed to avoid removing the tooth.
If you are planning your orthodontic treatment with clear aligners, and you don’t know if you need endodontic treatment first, we recommend that you ask the specialists at Impress without obligation.
Ellen Diamond did her degree in psychology at the University of Hertfordshire. She is interested in mental health, wellness, and lifestyle.
