Endodontics is a procedure that involves the removal of the nerve and blood vessels inside the tooth for subsequent instrumentation, disinfection and hermetic sealing (filling of the ducts). It is also known as “devitalization” because the tooth after a root canal loses sensitivity to hot or cold stimuli.
It is usually carried out by the presence of a caries that has invaded the dental pulp, where the nerve and blood vessels are housed. In such cases, pain usually occurs in cold or heat, and also in chewing. Occasionally, it may even lead to the appearance of a phlegm or a fistula that usually reverses shortly after the root canal treatment. It is also a reason for endodontics for dental fractures that produce irreversible involvement of the nerve or teeth that require aggressive carving for subsequent prosthetic rehabilitation.
The endodontic tooth should always be restored shortly after the root canal treatment has been completed to avoid seepage or loss of dental structure that can modify the prognosis of the tooth.
At Clínica Dental Marea, our professional team will advise you on the different types of conservative treatments that can be carried out on a rooted tooth and which one best suits your case.
It is normal and very common for the endodontic tooth to bother for several days, or even longer, after being treated, by inflammation of the adjacent tissues. In these cases, our dentists will recommend taking certain painkillers and different precautions to take into account. The color change in the tooth is also common, depending on the reason for the endodontics and the materials used during the treatment.
Our professionals will advise you about the different options that exist to improve the aesthetics of the tooth in these cases.
Endodontic teeth usually have a good prognosis, although it is true that their indefinite durability cannot be guaranteed in all cases. If a tooth that is already endodonised begins to hurt after a while, it is recommended that you go to your dentist to have an x-ray and tell you which treatment option is the most appropriate in your case: reendodontics, prosthetic rehabilitation, apical surgery or extraction.
The alternative to endodontics is tooth extraction. It is performed in cases where the tooth has a vertical fracture, little periodontal support, an unfavorable proportion between the crown and the root of the tooth, inability to restore the tooth or at the patient’s request.