ENDODONTICS
“The teeth have canals in the roots, which is where the nerve passes. When the nerve is inflamed we remove and clean the canal (to eliminate bacteria and necrotic tissue) and then seal it with a special plastic material. After sealing the canal, reconstruction can begin of destroyed tooth decay or fracture.”
SIGNS OF AFFECTED PULP
(NERVE INFLAMMATION)
Spontaneous pain, prolonged sensitivity to cold or heat, swelling and discomfort in the gums around the affected tooth, tooth discoloration, although sometimes these symptoms may not be present.
If you notice any of these symptoms, do not hesitate to ask, because in most cases the answer the treatment is immediate. The philosophy at the Caballero Dental Clinic is to try to be as conservative as possible. Endodontics allows us to save many of the teeth that without treatment would need to be removed.
Endodontics weakens the tooth and makes it more prone to fractures. It is for this reason that it is frequently recommended to use a sheath to cover the devitalized tooth after reconstruction and thus avoid fracture.
WHEN IS IT NECESSARY TO PUT A SHEATH ON A NON-VITAL TOOTH?
We recommend putting a sheath in cases where there is little tooth structure due to the reconstruction occupying much of the tooth. This prevents future fractures, especially of the posterior teeth, which are those that bear the greatest chewing forces. In many cases the sleeves prevent tooth loss.
Sometimes a blow to the anterior teeth can cause the “death” of the nerve, and therefore, the tooth may be stained a grayish brown. In these cases, although we do endodontics, the color remains the same (this is due to an internal stain) and if the patient wants an improved aesthetic appearance, we have several very successful treatments for tooth whitening (bleaching, veneers, composite, etc).
