Endodontics
Endodontics is the branch of dental medicine concerned with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of pulp conditions.
The dental pulp ("the nerve of the tooth") is a soft tissue made up of nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue, located inside the tooth. Although the pulp is responsible for the nutrition of the tooth, its function will not be affected following endodontic treatment. The tooth will continue to be nourished through the vascular supply of the neighbouring structures.
An endodontic treatment involves several stages:
- isolation of the tooth – during endodontic treatments a rubber dam is used, which is a system for separating the tooth from the rest of the oral cavity and which prevents bacterial contamination of the tooth during the procedure;
- creation of the access cavity to the endodontic system;
- identification of and entry into the root canals;
- removal from the canals of the inflamed, infected or necrotic pulp tissue, as well as of the dentinal debris, using canal files and disinfectant solutions;
- sealing of the endodontic space with a canal filling using specific materials (bioceramic, gutta-percha)
Endodontic treatment is applied in cases of irreversible disease of the dental pulp, namely its inflammation caused by the microbes that invade it. The causes of the inflammation are deep dental caries, thermal and mechanical injuries to the teeth, dental trauma, and dental cracks or fractures.
The symptoms that indicate the need for such treatment are varied and may include: marked sensitivity to cold, heat or pressure, and the appearance of discolourations as a result of pulp necrosis or abscesses, accompanied by swelling and pain.
Endodontic treatment is carried out under loco-regional anaesthesia and microscopic control, accompanied by a radiological check at the end of treatment.
Failure to provide endodontic treatment for the tooth will, over time, lead to worsening of the condition, destruction of the hard tissues and of the supporting tissues of the teeth, resulting in the spread of the infection to the bone and, ultimately, in the loss of the tooth.
