Everything you wanted to know about tooth nerve extraction
The procedure of tooth nerve removal is familiar to almost everyone who has at least once faced severe toothache. And if recently this procedure did not cause any emotions in the patient, except for a sense of fear, then modern techniques allow you to depulp the tooth quickly and completely painless. In this article we will tell you about when it is necessary to remove the nerve of the tooth, how depulping is performed and why you should not be afraid of it.
What is the nerve of a tooth
The tooth is predominantly made up of hard tissues. Enamel is the hardest of these. However, inside the tooth cavity under the dentin is a neurovascular bundle called the pulp. The pulp has several important functions: plastic, trophic, protective, and receptor. In brief, the pulp nourishes and forms the hard cells of the tooth (dentin), protects the periodontal tissue from infection, and is highly sensitive to pain and temperature. If the pulp is removed, the tooth is deprived of nourishment and protection, deteriorates faster, and may change color. Therefore, a dentist must weigh the pros and cons of this procedure before deciding to remove the nerve.
When it is necessary to remove the nerve of a tooth
Depulping is the complete removal of the pulp (tooth nerve). This surgery is used to preserve the natural tooth in the following cases:
- pulpitis (acute inflammation of the pulp)
- a large chipped tooth due to mechanical trauma
- prosthetics with significant grinding of the hard tissues of the tooth.
It is worth noting that the decision to depulpate a tooth in prosthetics is at the dentist's discretion. However, the removal of the pulp in this case prevents the occurrence of an inflammatory process under the crown.
How the procedure of tooth nerve removal takes place
Until a couple decades ago, pulp extraction with arsenic was the only solution. Patients strongly disliked this procedure because of its lengthy and painful nature.
The treatment of a tooth was done in two steps. First, the dentist expanded the carious cavity with a drill and applied arsenic paste to the exposed pulp area. A temporary filling was placed on the tooth. Within 1-2 days, arsenic killed the nerve, and at the second visit to the doctor was carried out pulp extraction. The procedure was completed by placing a filling or crown.
One of the main disadvantages of the old method of depulping - its insecurity. Arsenic, as it is known, is a poison, which in prolonged contact with the tooth can lead to its complete destruction. Therefore, arsenic paste was applied for a short period of time.
Fortunately, today completely different methods of depulping - painless and safe for health - are in priority.
The main methods of tooth nerve removal
- Vital method
Used for all forms of pulpitis in adults and children. The procedure is one-session. Under local anesthesia, the doctor prepares the tooth, removes the pulp, cleans and fills the canals, then puts a filling. - Devital method
Used to completely remove the crown and root pulp. It differs from the vital method in the duration of treatment. A soap-free paste is applied to the pulp, a temporary filling is first placed on the tooth and only in the next visit to the doctor - a permanent one. In modern clinics, this method of treatment is used less and less often.
Regardless of the method of depulping the procedure is always carried out under local anesthesia with the use of radiological control of the tooth before and after treatment.
If the tooth hurts after nerve extraction
As already noted, in the process of treatment, the dentist necessarily uses local anesthetic drugs, so the procedure does not give the patient any unpleasant sensations. But after the effect of anesthesia passes, teeth after depulping can begin to hurt. Therefore, patients often have to go to the doctor again with a complaint of pain in the teeth after nerve removal.
In this case, it is important to diagnose the cause of the pain after depulping. It may be temporary - due to medical intervention in the structure of the tooth tissue. If after nerve removal the tooth hurts when pressing, clamping the jaw, eating, it may be necessary to perform a small grinding of the filling, and in the case of severe pain, the doctor may prescribe analgesics. Within a few days, the pain gradually passes, and soon you will not even remember about it.
Incorrect treatment, incomplete pulp extraction, infection in the root canal - all of these can cause severe throbbing pain in the tooth. This indicates an abnormal course of the healing process. In such a situation, it is strictly forbidden to self-medicate and dull the pain by taking uncontrolled painkillers. Only a dentist can determine and eliminate the cause of the pain. In this case, visit your dentist as soon as possible to avoid the risk of losing the tooth completely.
