Root Treatment

When is an endodoncy (root canal treatment) required?

An endodoncy becomes necessary when the dental nerve is acutely infected or dies, for example, as a consequence of extremely prolonged cavities.
The patient is not always aware of this process.
In 80% of cases these changes are detected by an x-ray or by means of a vitality test (cold test).

Please, remember that

A tooth which is subjected to an endodoncy is a dead tooth and acts as a foreign body. Neither can a perfect endodoncy avoid the fact that the tooth, as a focus of alterations, may affect the health slightly.
Young people with a healthy immune system can tolerate these problems for some time. However, older people or those with a weak immune system should not undergo an endodoncy.
In all cases, teeth which are subjected to an endodoncy must have regular radio diagnostic checks. The use of teeth which have had root canal treatment in bridges and prosthesis must be undertaken with caution.
Statistics have shown that they have a shorter duration than crowns on live teeth.

The endodoncy process

Checking the length:
To measure the length of the root canal I use electronic apparatus.
In this way I avoid having to perform several x-rays, and obtain an equal or greater level of accuracy.

Preparation of root canal Using extremely flexible nickel and titanium files the root canals are cleaned manually and mechanically. They are narrow and often very sinuous, reaching almost to the end of the root and widening mechanically. In this way the diameter of the canal is increased so that it can better absorb the filling.

Insertion of the pharmacological substance In the resulting space is placed an antibacterial medicine. The secondary canals, which cannot be reached mechanically, are thus disinfected.

Filling from the root almost to the end.

The treatment is finished by three dimensionally filling the disinfected and bacteria-free root canals with heated natural rubber and fine filling.

Reconstituted filling as temporary impermeable seal on a tooth:

The remaining substance, which is very much weakened by cavities and previous fillings, is protected with a composite filling (technical adhesive).

This filling stays on the tooth as a basis of the crown (protection during chewing) which must later be fitted.

Length of treatment

The treatment can require several sessions depending on the state of the affected tooth, the number of root canals and other factors which make the treatment more difficult.

Thanks to the use of modern means which I have available in my surgery, such as the electronic measurement of the root canals, the mechanical preparation and the thermoplastic filling of the root canals, the length of treatment can be significantly reduced, which increases the comfort of the patient.

Root canal treatment is often the last attempt to save a sick tooth. Due to the very different anatomical conditions of each case this complex treatment offers no guarantees that the affected tooth can be saved, even when the technical means are used in the best possible way and the treatment is carried out meticulously.

If you would like to discuss the possibilities of preventative dental care, please do not hesitate to contact me. I would be delighted to help.