Endodontics

Endodontic treatments consist of:

• eliminating of remaining infected or potentially infected tissues inside the tooth (dental pulp)
• cleaning the inside of the tooth properly, through a mechanical action : scratching of the inner surface of the pulp canals (thanks to either manual or mechanical endodontic files), combined with a chemical action : irrigation with sodium hypochlorite (bleach water diluted at 3%), which is the most efficient disinfectant.
• shaping the root canal light all the way to the apical foramen, thanks to manual or mechanized files (nickel-titanium systems) so that the irrigation solution penetrates everywhere. It is this irrigation solution which “heals” the tooth.
• drying of the root canal system
• performing the root canal fill-ins, most of the time thanks to a gutta-percha (natural material) either warm or cold, glued to the sides with dental cement.

For the operation to be painless, it is performed under local anaesthesia. The tooth’s occluded side is adequately cut open to access the cameral and radicular pulp. The tooth’s canals are perfectly cleaned, all the way to the apex. The tooth is then filled in.

Afterwards, the tooth has to be reconstructed, either with a direct or indirect fill-in for a fairly damaged tooth or with a prosthetic reconstruction (crown) if the tooth is too damaged.