I have always envied those around me who seem to always have perfect smiles without even trying, because I feel like I was born with "bad teeth." While my teeth are in great shape now, it is only because I take great care to visit the dentist every six months for a check-up and cleaning and maintain good oral hygiene habits at home. While I used to get a lot of cavities, even though I thought I was doing "everything right" to keep them away, I am proud to say that I have been cavity-free for a couple of years now! I put a lot of research into what daily habits can wreak havoc on my teeth, and I thought it would be a shame not to share what has helped me with others who need the advice. I plan to post many oral health tips on my new blog!
Oral bacteria can potentially cause problem for your teeth even if you exercise proper oral healthcare. The potential for damage rises if your tooth has a deep cavity or crack that would provide the bacteria access to the root canal system within the tooth. An infection in the tooth can cause the pulp material to swell, pushing out on the tooth and potentially causing structural damage.
Dentists have a few different techniques for clearing out an infeciton within a tooth and minimizing the risk of the infection returning in the near future.
Root Canal Therapy
Root canal therapy, also called a root canal procedure or simply a root canal, is the most common way for a dentist to remove infected pulp material from the inside of the tooth. The dentist will need to drill an access hole into the tooth so that the thin cleaning tool can slide directly into the canal.
Once the pulp is scraped away, the dentist will wash the canal with an antibiotic rinse so the infection doesn't remain in the walls. A biocement is then added that will reinforce the canal for now but eventually dissolve so that new pulp mateiral can enter the chamber.
Root canal therapy is typically very effective but might not reach infectious material that has made it all the way to the end of the tooth roots.
Apicoectomy
The tooth roots stick down through your soft tissue and into the jawbone and end at two pointed apexes. If the infection gets trapped in the apexes, standard root canal therapy might not fully remove the infection and you could suffer a recurrence. The dentist might then perform an apicoectomy procedure targeted at removing the infection in the apexes.
The dentist will need to access the apexes by cutting into the soft tissue and some of the jawbone. The apexes are scraped and potentially clipped off to fully remove the infection. Your dentist can then insert the dissolving biocement into the ends of the root to prevent infection in the soft tissue from going right back into the apexes. Your soft tissue is then stitched back shut.
Dental Crown
Root canal therapy doesn't treat the fact that you have a crack or cavity that allowed the infection inside in the first place. And you will now have the additional access hole drilled for the root canal therapy. Your dentist can seal the tooth shut using a dental crown that adheres to the entire outside of the tooth with a semi-permanent biocement.
For more advice, contact a business such as Webster John B DDS.
Share16 December 2016
