Tooth preservation instead of tooth removal
Root canal treatment
Root canal treatment (also known as root canal therapy) removes inflamed tissue to preserve the tooth. The tissue is removed from the root canals to restore tooth function.
Inflamed or infected tooth root
Each tooth root contains root canals and this contains a pulp chamber, which contains the living tissue (pulp). This includes nerves, blood vessels, cells and fibers. If the pulp becomes contaminated, damaged or injured, the tooth will effectively begin to die. Once the blood supply has been cut off, the tooth is susceptible to infection, which can potentially lead to abscess formation and toothache.
"We are here for you to help you with toothache in good time!" In acute cases, our Emergency dentist to the side.
FAQ
When is root canal treatment necessary?
Root canal treatment becomes necessary if there is a persistent irritation. For example, the dental nerve can become inflamed due to an untreated deep caries or a filling that is too high, causing toothache. The symptoms of inflammation are initially increased sensitivity to cold stimuli, later also to hot stimuli, pain when biting down and pain that radiates increasingly at night. This toothache comes and goes, alternating between acute (painful) and chronic (painless) stages of inflammation. In some cases, however, the patient does not notice anything. Only the dentist recognizes the need for treatment of the present inflammation on the basis of clear diagnostics (x-rays, cold and percussion tests).
If the tooth nerve is inflamed or opened after a tooth trauma, root canal treatment is necessary.
What does the treatment process look like?
After successful local anesthesia, the tooth is isolated from the rest of the oral cavity by applying a rubber dam (delicate rubber cloth) and drilled out. All inflamed tissue is then removed from the inside of the tooth. After preparing, cleaning, disinfecting and drying the root canals, they are filled with an antibacterial medication and the tooth is sealed with a temporary filling to prevent bacteria from entering. As soon as the tooth is free of symptoms again, the resulting root canal cavities are filled by your dentist.
Root canal treatment usually requires 2-3 treatment appointments.
Due to the lack of nutrition via the dental nerve, the tooth becomes brittle and fragile. We therefore recommend stabilizing your tooth with a crown and, if necessary, a post and core build-up to preserve it for a long time and restore your aesthetic smile.
Root canal treatment is based on the principle of the utmost care and the use of the latest technical procedures. At the ZZL - your dental health center in Lucerne, we use the latest technologies. Mechanical systems ensure pain-free, gentle and fast treatment.
It is this combination of the latest technology, many years of experience and ongoing dental training that leads to successful root canal treatment and prevents tooth loss.
What happens if a necessary root canal treatment is not carried out?
If the diseased tooth nerve is not treated, it dies. This means that the toothache is no longer present, but the metabolic products (toxins) of the bacteria continue to spread via the root canal into the jawbone and cause chronic inflammation of the jawbone, which leads to localized jawbone dissolution. If this condition is left unattended, the infection spreads into the soft tissue and causes a dangerous and painful swelling (abscess = encapsulated accumulation of pus in a newly formed tissue cavity). Ultimately, this can lead to tooth loss.
"Don't wait if you have a toothache to keep your own teeth for as long as possible!"
"Toothache is always an alarm signal and must be treated quickly!"
What is the prognosis for the success of root canal treatment?
Root canal treatment is an attempt to preserve your tooth.
Depending on the degree of inflammation and jawbone involvement, the success prognosis of root canal treatment varies:
- Teeth in the early stage of acute dental neuritis without bone dissolution on X-ray: 80-95%
- Teeth in the late stage of chronic dental neuritis with bone dissolution on x-ray: 65-85%
- Repeated root canal treatment (revision) with infected periodontium and bone dissolution on X-ray: 50-70 %
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