You only have one set of adult teeth, so taking good care of them is of the utmost importance. You know to brush twice a day and floss daily, but there is so much more to dental health. On this website, we've compiled articles to help you boost your personal knowledge of oral health and dental care. From brushing tips to ideas for snacks that won't case cavities, it's all here. We are not dentists, but we scoured the internet for factual information, and we're confident your dentist will approve of what you're learning. Grab your favorite tooth-healthy snack, and start reading.
-
Reasons to Consider Getting Full Dentures 7 March 2024
-
Crown Replacement: A Journey to Dental Restoration 22 January 2024
-
What to Expect During the Recovery from Dental Implants 12 December 2023
-
Why Choosing A Family Dentist Is The Best Decision For Your Family 27 November 2023
-
The Benefits of Dental Bone Grafting: All You Need to Know 17 October 2023
The Truth About Teeth
Do You Need Apexification During A Root Canal?
Lonnie Davidson
If the pulp, or living portion of your tooth, is infected, your dentist may recommend root canal therapy. Root canal therapy is incredibly beneficial because it can eliminate any pain you may be experiencing, and help you avoid a complete tooth extraction. During a root canal, your dentist will remove any necrotic pulp from the pulp chamber—which is the interior portion of the tooth crown—and your dentist will also remove any infected pulp in the root canals, which are found in the tooth roots.
In permanent teeth, the root apex (tip of the tooth root) has an apical foramen, which is a small opening that allows veins to enter the root canals and pulp chamber. This opening is easily sealed up in a standard root canal procedure; however, when apical foramens aren't completely formed, a person may need to also undergo apexification. Read on to learn more.
What is Apexification and Who Needs it?
Apexification is an endodontic process where a dentist seals up an open tooth apex. Open apexes can be an issue because it's easier for bacteria and infection to get into the tooth root. Open apexes also require a few more steps than standard root canals since there is no apical foramen to hold filling material after the root canal.
Open apexes are common when a person is still growing, so if a child or teen needs a root canal, he or she might also need apexification. Open apexes are also common in resorbed teeth. There are many causes of tooth resorption, such as bruxism, untreated cavities, or physical injury to the enamel.
What is the Apexification Procedure Like?
Thankfully, apexification can be done at the same time as your root canal. Once the infected pulp has been removed, your dentist will use a restorative material, like calcium hydroxide or trioxide aggregate, to induce a calcified barrier around the open apex. Once this material is placed, your dentist will be able to see the hardened barrier on x-rays to see if the root is sealed.
Calcium hydroxide is the most studied therapeutic option and can be very effective, but there are some downsides, such as the possibility of infection due to barrier weakness. To combat possible issues, your dentist could opt for revascularization instead, which restores blood flow and encourages the tooth root to develop and close on its own. During revascularization, your dentist would use a dental file to create microtrauma near the apex, which would then create a blood clot. He or she would then place another restorative material, like glass ionomer, around this clot. Returned blood flow to the area encourages the development of the tooth root and apical foramen.
After the apexification process and root canal, your dentist will place the final root canal filler material in the rest of the tooth and place a final filling or crown on the tooth. Your dentist will likely want to monitor the apexification through x-rays on your follow-up appointments.
Contact a company like Cottonwood Dental for more information.
Share