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What
is endodontic therapy? |
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Endodontic
therapy, more commonly known as a root canal, consists of
cleaning the canals in the tooth roots and sealing them to
prevent recontamination (see Figs 1-6 below).
This is commonly done in 1-2 visits, although more visits
may be required if the case is more difficult.
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| Fig.
1 |
Fig.
2 |
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Each
tooth contains three layers: the outer hard shell of enamel, an
inner shell of dentin and the dental pulp (Fig 1).
When bacteria can access the root canal system through
decay, microfractures, etc, the dental pulp becomes infected and
an abscess may develop if the problem is left untreated (Fig 2).
The first step in endodontic treatment is to access the
dental pulp through the crown of the tooth (Fig 3).
Once the canals have been located, the affected tissue
can be removed and the space is prepared for the root canal
filling (Fig 3). The
filling material most commonly used is gutta percha, a soft,
pliable material that can conform under pressure to fill the
canal space. A thin
sealer is often used in conjunction with the gutta percha to
"seal" off anatomical areas that cannot be filled with
the gutta percha. In
between appointments and after the root canal has been
completed, you may have a temporary filling placed into the
tooth over the root canal so that you may continue to function
normally until the placement of the final restoration (Fig 4).
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| Fig.
3 |
Fig.
4 |
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Once endodontic therapy is completed, a general dentist
will often make a crown as a final restoration to
protect the tooth from further fracture or contamination
(Fig 5).
A build-up material is typically placed prior to
crown preparation to replace the tooth structure that
has been removed.
When an extensive amount of tooth structure has
been lost, it is necessary to place a post into the root
to stabalize the buildup material (Fig 6). |
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| Fig.
5 |
Fig.
6 |
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What
is endodontics? |
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What
will your visit be like? |
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