What is it?
Endodontics is the branch of dentistry that deals with the treatment of endodontium, or the pulp chamber and root canals of teeth.
Endodontics is the resort whenever there is pulpitis, an apical granuloma, an endodontic abscess or for reasons related to the prosthethesis.
Endodontic Therapy
Endodontic therapy consists of cleaning and shaping root canals to get enough space for closure with thermoplastic material (gutta-percha) and cement.
Hand tools are used and attachments mounted on the hand piece provide constant irrigation with detergent solutions.
To ensure high-quality results, the entire procedure must be done under a rubber dam to prevent contamination of the root canals with blood and/or saliva and also to protect the patient from accidental ingestion of the filings and cleaning agents used.
Endodontic therapy can be categorised as:
- Root canal: when the tooth is inflamed but still viable
- Root canal therapy: when the tooth is already necrotic (not viable)
- Root canal retreatment: the tooth has already been treated, but there is a recurrence of bacterial infection
Depending on the number of canals present in the tooth, the following therapies are available:
- Mono-canal therapy
- Bi-canal therapy
- Tri-canal therapy
- Multi-canal therapy: four or more canals
