Root canal treatment

Endodontics is the branch of dentistry which specializes in a root canal treatment. Such a therapy is necessary when the inflammatory process has reached the pulp (nerve) of the tooth.



The symptoms of the inflammation are idiopathic pain, painful biting or pain induced by rinsing the inflamed area. There are also cases when the bad tooth does not hurt, the x-ray, however, suggests that there is a need for the therapy. Before the procedure, the x-ray is always indispensable for estimating the anatomical conditions of the roots and the presence of any periapical changes. The picture demonstrates if the tooth has been treated and if the previous procedure was carried out properly.

The aim of the root canal treatment cleaning the canal off the inflamed pulp and, thus, removing the bacteria from the patient's root canal system.

The procedure is carried out under local anesthesia, which is sufficient to bloke the pain. In order to isolate the tooth from the saliva and to make sure that the antiseptic liquid used in the procedure will not get into the oral cavity, a special rubber dam is put all around the tooth. For accurate electronic measure of the canal's length an apex locator is used.

In many cases, root canal treatment is more difficult because of a complicated and untypical anatomy of the canals. Using a microscope in the procedure may turn out indispensable then - it helps to find all the canals, remove any broken instruments and treat obliterated canals (ones that has no lumen left) of difficult anatomical composure, or to clean the canal off the old filling. It should be stressed, however, that microscope has turned out helpful not only in the most difficult cases. It ensures and increases precision in a daily work of a dentist because it improves the view and quality of the procedure.

State-of-art endodontics ensures:

• a proper cleaning of the tooth's inside
• therapy of the teeth with difficult anatomy
• preservation of one's own teeth for many years

See also: teeth implants