Read all about root canal treatment.
A Tooth is an Organ
A tooth is an organ, just as the heart or kidney or any bone in the body is an organ. An abscessed or gangrenous tooth is not only a dead tooth but also a dead organ. The body does not like dead organs. The immune system does not recognize this now-dead tissue as a part of itself and immediately sets out to eliminate or isolate it. The system must fight for as long as the tooth remains in the body and in many instances, it must fight against bacteria and toxins left after the tooth has been extracted.
Not Quite Therapeutic
Tens of millions of root canals are performed every year, quite, unfortunately. When the nerve of a tooth becomes infected or abscessed due to decay, a crack or trauma, Root Canal Therapy (RCT) has long been thought to be the only way to treat the tooth. The infected nerve is removed and replaced with a filling substance called gutta-percha. Made brittle, the tooth is often crowned.
Even though RCT may allow you to keep your tooth for quite some time, it is not a treatment that our dentists fully endorse.
Therefore, in a root canal-treated tooth, most of the nerve is removed; however, countless minute tubules leading from the central nerve canal remain untreated. When you consider that the average tooth contains over three miles of these tubules, you can see that it is impossible to reach and clen them all! Debris collects, tissue putrefies and becomes infected, and bacteria flourish. The resultant production of toxic gases and solutions from these chronic infections challenges the immune system and can lead to illness.
Alternatives to root canals can be an important part of avoiding serious health consequences.
The Meridian Tooth Chart is a helpful tool to understand the direct relationship between our teeth and the systems in our bodies.
Each tooth is related to an acupuncture meridian which is related to various organs, tissues and glands in the body on this particular meridian or “energy highway”. This connection can often indicate your overall health and wellness by reviewing your dental condition. If a person has a weak internal organ, the condition of the associated meridian tooth could make it considerably more problematic.
Where the Bacteria LIves
During a root canal, the central canal is filled and possibly some of the small side canals. But the other, smaller canal-like structures in the teeth, called dentinal tubules, are too tiny to be filled during treatment. Originally supplied with cell extension coming from the main cell bodies inside the once healthy root canal; the tubules instead become home to bacteria. These tubules are wide enough for the bacteria to fit three abreast, and there is room for enough bacteria to challenge the immune system. To a bacterium, they are substantial, virtual mansions. Inside these dentinal tubules, bacteria remain safe because the white blood cells cannot penetrate from outside the tooth because the outer
layer of the root, the cementum, blocks them. Tubules are perfect havens for the anaerobic (non-oxygen breathing) bacteria which are always a threat to the body.
This procedure or treatment can induce many of the chronic conditions that people have nowadays, including cancer.
What is better than a root canal?
If you’ve got longevity in mind, know that dental implants can last you for much longer than a root canal and crown. They have a low failure rate and can last decades with good care. With a root canal, you may still end up with your tooth failing or needing to replace crowns after five to 15 years.
Dentures
Flexible dentures are more durable than traditional dentures and can even last a lifetime. Thanks to their flexibility, they will not shatter or crack if they are dropped. Flexible dentures have a more realistic appearance than traditional dentures because of their clear base.
Are flexible dentures better than acrylic?
Flexible dentures are thinner than acrylics. Their physical properties make them durable. Flexible denture materials provide many benefits as well. They are acknowledged as the most biocompatible material for removable dentures.
The only inconvenience is that you have to make one before the removal of your tooth, and then another one after 2 months of the removal because the bone shrinks and the previous one gets loose and starts to rub against the inside gums. But once the denture fits properly it becomes comfortable.
Nothing is ideal once your own tooth is removed, but it is always better to have implants or dentures than dead organs.
We are situated in Cape Town.
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