ENDODONTICS
What is endodontics?
Endodontics is the medical science, within the field of Dentistry, that deals with internal tooth tissues, pathologies and related treatments. When these tissues or the tissues surrounding the tooth root become diseased or damaged due to decay or trauma, endodontic treatment can save the tooth.
What is endodontic treatment, or root canal treatment or 'devitalisation' of the tooth?
Endodontic treatment is an outpatient dental procedure that is necessary when the pulp (the soft tissue inside the tooth) is inflamed or infected due to damage caused by deep caries, the result of tooth surgery, or trauma (severe and sudden or milder but repeated) that has resulted in deep fracture or chipping or cracking.
The dental pulp, contained within the teeth, popularly known as the tooth nerve, is actually a highly specialised tissue consisting of arteries, veins, nerve endings and connective cells. In the age of development, this tissue has the function of forming the calcified supporting structure of the tooth (dentin); in the adult, when growth is complete, the pulp – now thinned out – remains confined to the pulp chamber and root canals, with residual functions of cold sensitivity and hydration of the dentin.
How long does it take?
Endodontic treatment is now also fast for molars, thanks to the new techniques and modern equipment available. Two to three sessions are usually required.
Can root canal treatment hurt?
During endodontic treatment, pain is under control thanks to local anaesthesia. A soreness, which may be subjectively more or less annoying, may be present after treatment, but is easily controlled with a common analgesic. Rarely, in particularly infected roots, an abscess with pain and swelling may develop due to the passage of bacteria into the bone surrounding the roots. The occurrence of these complications does not necessarily jeopardise the success of the current treatment.
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