Endodontology, also known as root canal treatment, focuses on the health of the inside of your tooth or molar. Each tooth has root canals connected to living tissue called pulp, consisting of nerve fibers and blood vessels. When this pulp becomes inflamed from things like tooth decay, a leaking filling or injury, it can cause serious problems not only for your teeth but also for the surrounding jawbone. Detecting, preventing and treating such conditions falls under the specialty of endodontics within dentistry. Once your dental pulp is inflamed, it will not heal on its own. The inflammation can even spread to the surrounding bone tissue through the root tip. In such a case, root canal treatment is necessary to prevent further damage and preserve your tooth. At Happy Smiles Veldhoven, we use a surgical microscope for root canal treatment, which provides extra precision and better results.

SYMPTOMS THAT MAY INDICATE AN INFLAMED DENTAL PULP:

• Persistent pain when drinking hot or cold beverages
• Spontaneous pain that keeps you awake at night
• Pain on biting

Sometimes, however, inflammation can occur without obvious symptoms and is not detected until a routine checkup or when X-rays are taken.

THE TREATMENT PROCEDURE:

Root canal treatment begins with taking X-rays to identify the exact location of the inflammation. Next, the area around the inflammation is numbed, then the dentist opens the top of your tooth to gain access to the pulp. The inflamed and dead tissue is carefully removed and the root canals are cleaned and disinfected with special felts and liquids. Then the cleaned root canals are filled with rubber materials and sealed with a regular filling. If your tooth is weakened, a crown may be considered for extra protection. The treatment itself is virtually painless thanks to anesthesia. You may experience some post-treatment pain, which is usually well relieved with paracetamol or ibuprofen.

RE-TREATMENT:

In rare cases, inflammation may not heal completely after root canal treatment or symptoms may return. In these situations, re-treatment may be necessary to preserve your tooth. This process again involves cleaning and filling the root canals, with the dentist carefully monitoring the course of treatment with X-rays. Want to make an appointment for a consultation or have questions about your dental health? Feel free to contact us at 040 254 4544.