Endodontics

Philadelphia, Main Line, and Ardmore, Pennsylvania

Endodontics is the specialized area of dentistry that deals with the interior of your teeth, the tooth pulp. The term “root canal” applies to the space inside the root, which is continuous with the space known as the chamber, inside the tooth’s crown. By extension, “root canal” came to be also applied to the procedure than treats a damaged root canal and its contents.

What is Tooth Pulp?

Tooth pulp consists of blood vessels, sensory nerves, and connective tissue. Each tooth has one or more root canals, depending on how many roots it has (up to four). Until the nerve is affected, you may feel no symptoms when a tooth is damaged. Once the nerve is affected, there are definite symptoms which arise from nerve exposure, nerve damage and infection in the whole area:

• Severe pain in the tooth either when chewing or all the time
• Pronounced sensitivity to hot and cold
• Tenderness and swelling of the surrounding gums
• Discoloration or darkening of the affected tooth
• A recurring pimple on the surrounding gums

Neglect of dental hygiene is not the only way endodontic work may become necessary. Damage to a tooth’s pulp can happen after an injury or accident fractures the tooth, creating an opening through which bacteria can enter. The pulp might also be exposed to bacterial action if a large filling becomes loose, again creating spaces for bacteria to enter the chamber and root canal.

Because there are blood vessels in the tooth pulp, invading bacteria can enter the bloodstream and travel to other parts of the body. Studies have shown that poor dental health is linked to heart problems, stroke, and diabetes, and possibly other general health conditions as well. Please see Dental Hygiene and Teeth Cleaning for more information.

What Happens During Endodontic Treatment?

Because of recent advances in endodontic technology, a root canal is far from the long and painful procedure it once was. Dr. Marshall will remove all decayed tissue, bacteria, and debris from inside the tooth. When it is entirely clean, she will fill it with dental cement, sealing it against future bacterial invasion.

That tooth is now without a nerve, but this is not an issue, as all teeth can survive quite well without one. With no sensory nerve to carry information to the brain, they will not be sensitive to pressure or temperature, but they will stay anchored to the jawbone and perform their biting or chewing functions well.

The treated tooth also has no blood vessels, but since there is no pulp left at all, this does not matter. It is protected by the crown placed on it after the root canal is filled. Tooth enamel is even harder than bone – bones and teeth can survive longer than any other body part, which is why archaeologists can learn so much about ancient cultures by studying skeletons with their teeth still attached.

Preserving the Damaged Tooth

When a tooth is damaged to its interior, the alternative to endodontic treatment is tooth extraction. In past decades, people used to come to the dentist only when they had a toothache, by which time extraction was often the only option. With modern dental tools and procedures, extractions are rare, and Dr. Marshall’s priority is always to preserve teeth whenever possible. By strengthening the chamber and root canal through endodontics, and then covering the tooth remains with an all-porcelain crown, Dr. Marshall rejuvenates the tooth and gives it a new lease on life.

If you think you may need a root canal and you live in the area of Philadelphia, Main Line, or Ardmore, Pennsylvania, you need to see a qualified endodontic dentist as soon as possible because your symptoms will only worsen the longer you wait. To schedule an endodontics appointment, please contact us today.

602 The Times Building
Suburban Square
Ardmore, PA 19003
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