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Services & Technologies

Endodontics (diseases of the root)

The word ‘endodontics’ comes from the Greek endodont, meaning ‘what is inside the tooth’.Endodontics is the branch of dentistry that is specifically concerned with diseases of the dental pulp (or nerve) and the tissues surrounding the root.

This includes chronic or acute inflammation of the dental pulp (blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, nerves and connective tissue) or the periodontium as the result of endodontic disease.

The most frequent procedure performed in endodontics is root canal therapy. Root canal therapy is a complex procedure that is intended to preserve a tooth if the pulp is irreversibly damaged (inflamed or necrotic).
There can be many different causes of pulpitis (inflammation of the dental pulp).
It most often begins with a carious defect that lets bacteria enter the tooth and does not necessarily cause pain. Acute pulpitis can be extremely painful.

Steps in modern root canal therapy with laser technology:

  • The tooth is opened up to remove the pulp.
  • The root canals are prepared and formed.
  • Molars often have three to four canals.
  • The inside of the tooth and the root are decontaminated with the laser (sterile procedure).
  • All the canals are filled.

Advantages of laser therapy:

  • Conventional methods involve the use of rinses that can only penetrate up to 0.4 mm into the small side canals of the root and therefore leave germs behind that can cause problems later on.
  • The advantage of laser light is that it kills off bacteria at a depth of up to 1 mm – that’s 2 to 3 times deeper. This has been proven in several scientific studies.

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