What is endodontics?
Endodontics is the branch of dentistry that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of the dental pulp (nerve) and tissue at the apex of the tooth. Dental pulp is a substance composed of connective tissue, nerve tissue and blood vessels. It is responsible for the nourishment and internal sensitivity of the tooth.
Endodontics
Dental pulp treatment.
Symptoms
Pain, sensitivity and swelling.
Root canal treatment
The "cleaning" of tooth canals of infected tissue.
Apicectomy
The removal of the root apex of a tooth, which averts total extraction.
Are they painful?
They can cause discomfort in the following days.
Purposes of endodontic treatment
Differential diagnosis between the various types of dental pain to understand when the tooth really needs to be treated.
Treatment of vital pulp with pulp capping.
When is endodontic treatment necessary?
Endodontic treatment becomes necessary when the pulp becomes inflamed due to bacteria in the mouth. Normally, bacteria cannot reach the tooth pulp, thanks to the protection provided by the enamel.
However, when the tooth is damaged, by deep caries or a fracture, the bacteria have a free way. Once they reach the pulp, they cause inflammation and then necrosis (decay).
Necrosis affects the entire nerve, up to the apex of the tooth, causing a granuloma and then an abscess.
The abscess, as it expands, consumes the bone, consequently piercing the gingiva that covers it, resulting in the escape of pus.
The devitalised tooth is inevitably weakened, so we must recognise the symptoms in advance to avoid having to resort to this type of treatment. Obviously, as always, frequent check-ups and thorough dental hygiene are the basis of prevention, but we must also be able to recognise certain specific symptoms:
sensitivity to heat and cold;
nocturnal pain;
pain when chewing;
swelling;
enlarged lymph nodes;
presence of abscess.
