Root canal treatment

Why do I need root canal treatment?

The soft tissue in a tooth is called dental pulp. It consists of nerve fibers, blood and lymph vessels and connective tissue. This pulp can become inflamed and infected by bacteria. This can be caused by deep caries, cracks in the tooth, a broken tooth or gaps between the tooth and the filling. The tooth can then react sensitively to cold and heat or start to hurt suddenly and for a long time. However, the consequences of the inflammation can also go unnoticed and only become apparent when examined by a dentist on the basis of an x-ray or sensitivity tests.

If the inflammation is not treated, the bacteria can destroy the entire dental pulp and then penetrate the jawbone unhindered. This can lead to bone loss, purulent inflammation, a general weakening of the immune system or diseases in other parts of the body.

The only way to leave the inflamed tooth in the mouth permanently and safely is to treat the endodont, i.e. root canal treatment. Nowadays, it offers the chance to preserve teeth that could not be successfully treated in the past in the long term.

What is root canal treatment?

It is a measure that can preserve a diseased and bacterially infected tooth for many years. First, the tooth to be treated is anesthetized. The tooth is opened and the pulp tissue removed. The individual canals must be found and cleaned. It is particularly important to determine the exact length, which can be done with a traditional X-ray or with an electrometric length measurement. Unfortunately, this electrometric length measurement is not covered by statutory health insurance, even though it is much more precise than an X-ray. The canals are mechanically cleaned with fine files and disinfected with rinsing liquids. It is often necessary to insert a medication into the tooth and leave it to work for a few days. The aim is to kill the bacteria in the canals. The laser device can be used to support this. At the end of the treatment, the canals are filled with gutta-percha and the tooth is sealed.

What happens to my tooth afterwards?

After root canal treatment, it is usually necessary to protect the tooth at risk of fracture with a crown. However, it is necessary to wait a while to see if the tooth no longer causes any discomfort.

Is there an alternative to endodontic treatment?

The only alternative is to remove the tooth. However, the removal of the tooth entails other treatments, as a missing tooth can lead to shifts in bite position, tooth migration and cosmetic problems.