- When decay or an accident lets bacteria
infect the nerve of the tooth, pain frequently brings the patient to
the dental office. It can occur under a deep old – or new –
restoration, as bacteria can travel through the tiny channels in the
dentine of the tooth.
If the nerve is infected the nerve tissue
of the tooth must be removed and root canal therapy preformed or the
tooth must be extracted.
Teeth that have endodontic treatment have
no more living tissues inside the tooth, but because the periodontal
(around the tooth) tissues are intact, they can serve as regular teeth
for many, many years. They tend to be more brittle than regular teeth,
so crowns are frequently needed to prevent fracture.
Root Canals: Removal of the tissue and careful shaping of the
inside of the tooth is performed either by a general dentist or by an
endodontist who specializes just in doing root canals. Then a material
called gutta percha is placed down the 1, 2, 3, or 4 long thin prepared
canal spaces.
Post Core Build-ups: Most teeth
needing endodontia also need to have extensive rebuilding of the tooth
with a core build-up and often also a post that goes down into the canal.
This procedure gives enough structure to hold a crown.
