AspenDentist.com
Title
Dentistry - WebHealth
Description
Excerpted from the website:
- [edit] Introduction
- Dental disease is potentially life threatening as a defect in a tooth from a dental cavity or from periodontal disease or from neglected decay (caries) can lead to tooth infections that worm their way into the blood stream and can lead to dental abscesses and to sepsis. In people with heart valve problems this can lead to bacterial endocarditis, which has the potential to become a life threatening infectious condition. When people are in their thirties or forties, it is not uncommon to develop the first root canal problem. When a cavity gets deep enough to affect the blood supply of the nerve that supplies the tooth with sensory fibers, the nerve dies off and the person may not feel that there is anything wrong with the tooth unless it is checked out by a dentist. Eventually the deeper nerve fibers or the neighboring nerves of the adjacent teeth get irritated and the patient feels a deep gnawing pain. This is when the patient is usually seen by the dentist and a root canal followed by a crown is often required. Before a number of common dental conditions are described in more detail, here is a brief description of the anatomy of a tooth. A tooth has a crown and a root. The crown is coated with a very hard enamel layer and is what we see when a person smiles. The root is buried in the mandibular or maxillary bone, which gives the tooth a very solid footing. The pulp chamber is surrounded by a hard, but porous dentin layer, which is coated with enamel on top and with the bone-like cementum over the root. Gingiva is part of the supportive tissue of the teeth and together with the periodontal ligaments and connective tissue attaches the teeth firmly within the alveolar bone where the teeth are anchored. The pulp contains the nerve endings and blood and lymphatic vessels that enter the pulp cavity through the root canal. The other important ingredient in the oral cavity is the constant secretion from the salivary glands that bathe the teeth in saliva and keep the bacterial flora diluted. The tongue with its very sensitive nerve endings helps to spot remaining food particles on top and between the teeth, which helps to clean and protect the teeth from decay.
Languages
English
Additional Information
Save on root canal procedure prices and general endodontistry
