Endodontic Treatment: Saving One Tooth at a Time
If a patient experiences tooth pain over a long time period for no apparent reason, most dentists would likely attribute it to the tooth’s pulp. When the tooth becomes severely painful, has become very sensitive to changes in temperature or has an exposed tooth pulp, dentists generally recommend an endodontic treatment for the patient.
Endodontic treatment is basically a “rescue attempt to save the tooth.” Each tooth has a pulp, which holds the tooth’s nerve and blood vessels. If the pulp becomes infected or otherwise injured, endodontic treatment is carried out to try to save the tooth. This procedure can be performed on both primary and permanent teeth.
Primary teeth are also known as baby teeth. They are essential for occupying the spaces that the permanent teeth will soon replace once the baby teeth fall out.
With regard to baby teeth, dentists can perform two types of endodontic treatment on them: (1) vital pulp therapy and (2) non-vital pulp therapy. In the former, the pulp is removed from the tooth’s crown but not the root. Moreover, the tooth should not be loose, and there should be no swelling around it.
Non-vital pulp therapy, also known as root canal treatment, involves removing both crown and root. Here, the pulp is beyond repair and has to be removed. After its removal, the dentist usually fills the inside of the tooth with a special material.
Both kids and adults may undergo endodontic treatment. There may be soreness after the procedure, but it can be dealt with by pain relievers.