Clinica Medica Bressan
Endodontics
Endodontics is the branch of dentistry that deals with the devitalization of the teeth. Devitalizing a tooth means removing the nerve - or pulp - when it is affected by irreversible inflammation caused by the arrival of bacteria or by trauma. This treatment is more correctly called root canal therapy, as sometimes it is also possible to intervene on teeth already devitalized but having inadequate treatments: in this case we will talk about root canal retreatment.
In recent years the techniques and tools used in these treatments has undergone significant improvements. It is in fact possible to have more than 95% success in these treatments, when performed correctly.
The most common symptoms of the need for endodontic treatment are sensitivity of a tooth to heat and / or cold, pain when chewing or the presence of swelling at the root of the tooth.
Root canal treatment consists of several stages:
the removal of the entire pulp organ in its entirety up to the apex through the use of manual and mechanical instruments
the use of irrigants and disinfectants, which allow the complete removal of the pulp, even in branches where mechanical tools cannot reach
the three-dimensional root canal filling, that is able to fill all the space previously occupied by the nerve; performed with an inert material called gutta-percha.
Root canal retreatment is performed in cases of reinfection of previously treated teeth. It involves the removal of both the material previously used for root canal treatment and the search for any canals that have not been found.
To obtain success and avoid the contamination of bacteria present in the saliva, the treatment must be carried out in a dry field, and for this reason the rubber dam is used, a latex sheet (also existing without latex for allergic people) which isolates the tooth from the rest of the mouth, also performing a protective function for the patient from the ingestion of tools and disinfectants used.
An endodontically treated tooth is able to last a long time, if treated properly; however, since the access cavity made to reach the nerve coupled with the previous caries or fracture causes the tooth to lose substance and therefore less resistance, it is important to perform a correct restoration to protect the tooth from fracture. It will be up to the Dentistry to decide, based on the residual tooth substance, whether to perform a partial reconstruction called an inlay or a crown.