What is Endodontics?
Endodontics refers to diagnosing and managing inflamed or infected dental pulp tissue and preventing the spread of inflammation to surrounding structures.
A tooth is made up of a hard outer Enamel layer, which protects an inner, permeable layer called Dentine. At the very core of a tooth, a hollow chamber filled with soft tissue, blood vessels, nerves and immune cells can be found – this is called the pulp chamber, and the tissue is called the dental pulp.
Root canals are ‘hollow channels’ that branch off the base of the pulp chamber and contain pulp tissue, and these extend down the entire length of each root.
Inflammation and infection of the dental pulp can result from deep decay or deep restorations (fillings), trauma or cracks, where bacteria are able to gain access to the pulp chamber and cause damage to the pulp tissue. When inflammation and/or infection of the pulp tissue becomes advanced due to bacterial invasion of the root canal space, the supporting soft and hard tissue structures around the tooth may also begin to show signs of inflammation.
Often, signs of inflammation or infection of the dental pulp include:
- Pain in the tooth with prolonged or intense sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures
- Pain and tenderness when chewing or biting on the tooth
- Pain that is worse at night or may wake you
- Tooth discolouration
- The development of swelling in the nearby gums
Occasionally, there are no obvious symptoms to suggest infection of the dental pulp, and inflammation in the surrounding jawbone may be picked up incidentally on a dental radiograph (x-ray).
Our
Services
Endodontic (root canal) treatment
Endodontic retreatment
Apical Microsurgery
Trauma management
Vital Pulp Therapy
Pain diagnosis
About Us
We take the utmost pride in ensuring a quality, comfortable and accessible endodontic experience for all patients, and I am looking forward to helping you and your patients with any advice or endodontic treatment.”
To make an appointment with Dr Olivia Rae, please call Townsville Endodontics (07) 4772 0436 or email [email protected]
You can also find us at @townsville_endodontics
