Rescue the tooth with root canal treatment

Tooth root treatment is often the last resort for tooth preservation

08/07/2014

Tooth root treatment is an absolute nightmare for most people. But in many cases this is unfortunately the last and only way to get a sick tooth and thus avoid expensive dentures. If the dentist provides a positive prognosis in advance, the chances of success with this procedure are very good - nevertheless, the health insurance companies do not cover the costs in every case.

Root canal treatment necessary for diseases of the dental pulp
The walk to the dentist is already connected for many people with great anxiety. If this is also a treatment of the tooth root, this means for most the stark horror - fears that are far stronger than those before drilling or pulling a tooth. An intervention that unfortunately can not be avoided in many cases, because a root canal treatment is often the last option to save the tooth and thereby prevent expensive dentures in the form of bridges, crowns or implants. „Root canal treatments are often the last option before removing the affected tooth“, said Prof. Christian Gernhardt, President of the German Society for Endodontology and Dental Traumatology (DGET) to the news agency „dpa“. Necessary is such an intervention, if the so-called „pulp“ (also „pulp“ is called, which means the tissue inside the tooth (Pulpenhöhle), which consists of blood and lymph vessels and nerve fibers.

Early treatment can prevent chronic inflammation and consequential damage
In many cases, this is an inflammation of the pulp (pulpitis), which usually arises as a result of untreated caries. „Indications of inflammation are pain. If it is very bad, even the typical swollen cheek“, explains Gregor Bornes of the Competence Center for Dental Health of Independent Patient Counseling Germany (UPD). For this reason, according to Prof. Christian Gernhardt it is important to treat as early as possible, because if pulpitis is poorly treated or not treated, there is a risk that a chronic inflammation will develop. Here lurks a not to be underestimated danger: For the infection progresses into the jawbone, where abscesses or jaw cysts can form, which in turn cause the bone to regress and the tooth to fail. Accordingly, in the tooth root treatment rescuing the diseased tooth in the foreground: „Getting a tooth is always a priority“, explains Prof. Dietmar Oesterreich, Vice President of the Federal Dental Association (BZÄK).

Curvature or calcification of the channels can complicate the course of therapy
How much time the root canal treatment takes and in how many steps it has to be carried out depends, among other things, on the nature of the root canals. For while these are running straight in the one patient, for example, severe curvature or calcification of the channels can make the course of therapy sometimes considerably more difficult. In general, root canal treatment is a relatively complex procedure, which is usually performed under local anesthesia. First, after the anesthetic, the tooth is drilled out so that the dentist can get to the pulp and locate the root canals. „With fine needles and files he opens up these, removes the inflamed tissue and then disinfects the canal with rinsing fluids“, explains Prof. Christian Gernhardt. If the inflammation has subsided, the cleaned root canal is sealed with a special material, which predominantly with sealing cement and „gutta-percha“ - the thickened latex of tropical trees, which resembles rubber in its nature. Finally, the tooth is usually provided with an inlay or a crown to protect the enamel and dentin structures and avoid unsightly dark discoloration.

Costs are only at „erhaltungswürdigem“ Tooth taken
A root canal treatment is often the only alternative to removing a tooth - but the financial aspect is often problematic. Because the costs are not automatically covered by the health insurance, but only if the tooth is actually considered by the dentist „worth preserving“ is classified. There are certain guidelines of the statutory health insurance for the dentists. According to Austria, for example, there are hardly any restrictions in the treatment of anterior teeth, but very severe ones in molars „These usually have several roots and not infrequently several channels, which can also be severely bent.“ Accordingly, the treatment is usually more difficult here - but thanks to this a whole row of teeth or existing dentures can be saved, the health insurance companies would pay the costs here as well.

If the prognosis is positive, there are very good chances of success
In the other case, only the own financing remains. Here, the doctor would first make a written estimate, then the patient has sufficient time to think about the pros and cons. An important step, because the treatment does not succeed, the person has to pay anyway, explains Gregor Bornes of the Competence Center for Dental Health of Independent Patient Counseling Germany. According to Prof. Christian Gernhardt, however, this is unlikely - at least if the dentist had made a correspondingly good prognosis in advance, because „If the foundation is not good, the tooth should not be saved at all costs.“ Otherwise the chances for the expert are very good: „As many as 75 to over 90 percent of teeth are still in the oral cavity after ten years.“ (No)