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BOSTON
ENDODONTISTS |
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About Your
Endodontic Therapy |
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Uniquely Qualified to Provide You With Comfortable, State of
the Art, Endodontic Care |
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Purpose of
Endodontic Care |
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The primary
purpose of Endodontic Therapy is to retain teeth that would
otherwise have to be removed due to injury to the dental
pulp. It is better -- and less expensive -- to retain your
tooth when possible. There are many disadvantages of tooth
loss. When a tooth is removed and not replaced, the teeth
surrounding the empty space often begin to shift out of
alignment. This creates more problems and could result in
the loss of more teeth. Therefore, you should have an
artificial tooth (bridge or dental implant) put in the place
of the removed natural tooth. The cost of the prosthesis is
usually more than the cost of Endodontic Therapy and often
involves dental work on adjacent teeth. If a tooth is not
replaced, your chewing efficiency is decreased and your
appearance can also be affected. A healthy natural tooth is
always better than an artificial one. Root canal treatment
makes it possible to retain a tooth that would otherwise
have to be removed. |
Endodontic treatment removes tissue from inside the tooth
that has been damaged by trauma or infected by decay. This
tissue, called the pulp, contains nerves and blood vessels
that help nourish the tooth. After the
pulp is removed, the pulp chamber and root canal system is
cleaned, shaped, disinfected and sealed.
Although the pulp is removed, the treated tooth remains
alive and functional since it is still nourished by the
surrounding gums and jaw. There is no substitute for your
own tooth, which is more efficient in chewing than an
artificial one.
Endodontic Therapy usually takes from one to four
appointments. With the use of local anesthetic, the
treatment is comfortable. After the appointment some
soreness and discomfort may be present. These symptoms can
usually be relieved with over-the-counter pain medications
or your endodontist may give you a prescription.
It is essential that you return to your general dentist as
soon as possible following completion of your root canal
treatment to have your tooth restored. Failure to do this
may lead to the loss of your tooth. |
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Approximately ninety percent of endodontically treated teeth
respond to conventional Endodontic Therapy. The remaining
ten percent may later require a surgical procedure.
Fortunately, surgical endodontics also has a high degree of
success. Therefore your restored tooth can last a lifetime,
if you continue to care for your teeth. It takes
approximately twelve to eightenn months for the bone around
the root of the tooth to heal. It is in your best interest
to return for a recall examination to allow evaluation of
the healing process. We will send you a written reminder
when it is time to return. Please contact the office in
which you were treated for an appointment when you receive
this notice. Since it can take longer than one year for the
tissues surrounding the tooth to completely heal, it may be
necessary to check it more than once. Regardless of the
number of reevaluation check up visits necessary, there will
be no additional fee for postoperative evaluations. |
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Whitening
Discolored Teeth |
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teeth that require Endodontic Therapy have been previously
discolored. A bleaching procedure can sometimes help restore
teeth to near normal color. This procedure is attempted
after completion of the root canal treatment and involves a
series of short appointments. |
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