Our topic in the next weeks is root canal treatment and its risks! (3/10)
The endodont consists of nerves, blood and lymph vessels. The aim of root treatment is to remove the dead endodont from inside the tooth, right up to the tip of the root! The inside of the tooth has to be as clean and free of germs as possible, as this is the only way to end the inflammation in the surrounding bone!
Although the tooth is a mineral, basically a kind of „rock“ and thus „lifeless“, the space which used to contain the endodont – the main channels are marked in blue and the side channels in green – runs right through the tooth. And these „chambers“ now contain dead tissue and provide bacteria with nutrients and the perfect hide-out from our immune system – as our immune cells caanot reach places where blood doesn’t go!
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The point is to get these little channels or canals as clean as possible, so that no more bacteria can use them as a breeding ground. However, it is only possible to insert filling compound into the main canal. Clean, good-quality work prevents further bacteria from getting into the root canal system. A thorough rinse using various chemicals kills the germs in the little side-streets. And fillings up the main avenues gets rid of any bacteria that might be left, since they are cut off from their food supply – and your tooth is saved!
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But it is only possible to perform good work using a coffer dam, sterile root canal instruments and magnifying glasses. Even a tiny little bit of saliva contains countless bacteria, and can contaminate the tooth if it gets into it.
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This is why you always have to use a coffer dam, magnifying glass and sterile instruments when treating a root. Moreover, the main canal has to be consistently filled up right to the root. If even a little space is left, then there is a risk that some remaining bacteria can once again start to multiply and cause an inflammation in the bone. But x-rays or pictures can be used to check the quality of root treatment!
