Every tooth in your mouth is a hollow chamber that contains an amount of materials that are important to the health of the tooth. In certain circumstances this material can become compromised and treatment might be required to save the tooth. This is called pulpitis and dentists in central Leeds are experts at spotting the signs of the condition and dealing with it.
There are basically two types of pulpitis and the designation concerns how far advanced the condition is. Reversible pulpitis can still be dealt with the dentist but if the condition has existed for some time then it might be irreversible.
It is common for pulpitis to occur because of a cavity in the tooth that is allowing outside elements to interfere with the pulp. You will know that you are suffering from pulpitis in one of your teeth if it is unduly sensitive to changes in temperature or even simply to the touch. It is vital that the cavity is filled and dentists usually use cosmetic bonding techniques to do so. If the pulpitis is reversible then the pulp will be able to heal itself once the cavity is filled, stopping the exposure.
Your dentist might need to take an x-ray of the tooth in order to get an appreciation of the situation inside the tooth. If the pulp is severely affected then root canal treatment can be administered, allowing the dentist to clear the pulp chamber of infected material and return it to health.
Posts Tagged ‘cavity’
Guard against the dangers of reversible pulpitis with visits to dentists in central Leeds
Sunday, September 11th, 2011Central Leeds dentists saves patient’s tooth with root canal treatment
Saturday, October 17th, 2009
Despite having a reputation as one of the most feared and painful dental procedures, a root canal treatment is also one of the most useful and can mean the difference between keeping a tooth and losing it. A successful root canal treatment can also eliminate the need for extensive dental treatment in the future, which could save you a lot of time, money and most importantly, pain.
Root canals are necessary when a tooth has become infected and is either dying or already dead. In either case the pulp needs to be extracted from the centre of the tooth and replaced with a filling and possibly a crown. The removal of this infection will hopefully stop the spread of infection to other teeth. Root canals can also be used to remove painful tooth abscesses caused by infections.
The pulp and root of the tooth is where the extremely sensitive nerve endings are found, which is why root canals are considered to be painful, but with the correct anaesthetic there is no reason it should be any more painful than a regular filling. More than that, the removal of the infection and sealing of the cavity will prevent any further pain occurring in the tooth.
Once the dentist has numbed the gums with a jelly, he will then anaesthetize the area so that there is no feeling in the teeth, gums or soft tissue. They can then set about removing the infected pulp and filling the cavity with medicine and filling material. This is then sealed with a root canal cap, and a crown may possibly placed on top to preserve the integrity of the tooth.
Root canals are often the only option available to the dentist to save the tooth. If an infected tooth is not treated it will eventually die and fall out and may spread the infection to the other teeth. Bacteria form infected teeth can also enter the bloodstream causing further, more general, health complications and even heart disease.
If you are suffering form a toothache, or think you may have an infected tooth, consult a Central Leeds dentist as soon as possible and you might be able to prevent any further pain with a root canal treatment.