What is endodontics?
Or as it is popularly known: killing the nerve. Nothing could be further from the truth, since the nerve is not killed as such, but dissolves little by little.
The procedure itself is intended to empty the inside of the tooth of any nerve debris (called pulp tissue) and eliminate all bacteria that may have penetrated into the canal system that makes up the tooth, as well as seal it hermetically once cleaned by means of a series of materials that prevent bacteria from contaminating it again.
It is not surprising then that a good root canal sometimes takes time and more than one session is needed to achieve the overall treatment objective.
It is vital to carry out a good posterior restoration of the tooth in a comprehensive manner so that bacteria do not seep in from the oral environment.
An endodontic tooth is not always synonymous with a very fragile tooth, but it is true that it losespart of its sensitivity and, with the absence of the nerve, part of the sensation of strength when chewing.
Therefore, it is necessary not only to be careful, but also to take measures to prevent it from fracturing or deteriorating in the medium or long term.
When to do endodontics (and when not to do it)
Since implants started to become a more accessible treatment for everyone, there has been a disdain in the general population for their own teeth in favor of implants.
There is a tendency to extract teeth that could continue to function through root canal treatment or endodontics.
There is a great deal of discussion among professionals dedicated to the world of implantology and those dedicated to the world of endodontics as to which treatment is more effective.
Statistically both are similar, although it is true that the parameters that measure the success or failure of an endodontic treatment are more “strict” than those that measure the success of an implant.
What are the advantages of endodontics versus extraction and subsequent implant?
To keep a piece that is more “ours” than the placement of a foreign body (implant) with the consequence of adaptation to it.
There is more
proprioception
in an endodontically treated tooth than with an implant. Another reason: it is often aesthetic
According to the Spanish Association of Endodontics, there are only three causes that contraindicate root canal treatment:
- When the tooth has a vertical fracture, that is, a break that encompasses its entire length.
- When there is a great loss of tooth support.
- When there is a greatdisproportion between the size of the tooth and the roots, that is, when the roots are so small that they are not able to “support” the tooth.
To these three contraindications we add a last one: those cases in which the tooth is so destroyed or has such a large caries that there is not enough remaining tissue and the risk of vertical fracture is very high (first contraindication according to the Spanish Association of Endodontics).
