Endodontics is the branch of dentistry that is dedicated to the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of the ducts inside the tooth. It is one of the most important treatments because it helps prevent tooth loss and thus maintain natural teeth.
Within endodontics there are 4 types of treatment:
- Treatment to preserve pulp vitality
- Root canal treatment: this is what patients colloquially call endodontics.
- Retreatment of canals
- Endodontic surgery
Endodontics is a complex treatment
Root canal treatment consists of the removal of the pulp tissue that is inside the tooth roots, to maintain the natural tooth and its chewing function.
Due to the small size of the root canals where the nerves and pulp vessels are housed, root canal treatment is one of the most complicated in dentistry. It must be performed with a surgical microscope that allows to increase up to 32 times the size of a dental piece, as well as projecting an intense light in the operative field to visualize the process with greater precision. It is a completely painless treatment, since it is performed under local anesthesia.
When is endodontics necessary?
It is very important to make a correct diagnosis, since root canal treatment or endodontics should only be performed when there is an irreversible pulp process.
The most frequent symptom of pulp process is pain, although the most important thing is to make a correct diagnosis, since on certain occasions it may be necessary to perform a root canal and not present symptoms of pain.