Root canal treatment - save your tooth
Endodontics is the branch of dentistry that treats pathological processes of the dental pulp, i.e. the nerve. At the Elite Dent dental practice in Banja Luka we perform root canal treatment painlessly, with the most modern machine apex locator. Our goal is always the same: to save your tooth wherever possible, instead of extracting it.
Pathological processes on the nerve or root of the tooth can be dangerous. They can be acute or chronic, and if left untreated, they lead to changes at the tip of the tooth root, such as granulomas and cysts. That is why it is important to react in time.
Inside every tooth is the pulp, soft tissue made up of the nerve and blood vessels. When caries or an injury reaches the pulp, it becomes inflamed. The inflammation causes pain and, if untreated, spreads through the root canal to the bone around the tooth.
Endodontics treats the tooth from the inside, through the root canal. Instead of extracting the tooth, only the diseased nerve is removed, and the tooth remains in the mouth and continues to function normally. A preserved natural tooth is always better than any replacement.
The most common sign is severe, persistent toothache, especially with hot, cold or when biting. Sometimes swelling or sensitivity of the gums around the tooth occurs, and the tooth may also change colour.
With chronic processes, pain may be completely absent, so the problem is only discovered on an X-ray. That is exactly why regular checkups are important: a granuloma or cyst can silently grow at the root tip for years, without a single symptom.
The procedure is simple and completely painless for the patient, because it is performed under local anaesthesia. Endodontic therapy proceeds in several steps:
In our practice we treat canals with the most modern machine apex locator with nickel-titanium files. The apex locator precisely measures the length of the canal, so the treatment is accurate to the very tip of the root. Thanks to this, even hard-to-access and curved canals are no challenge for us.
An endodontically treated tooth remains in the mouth and functions normally for chewing. Since a treated tooth can become more brittle over time, the doctor will assess whether it needs a filling or a crown as permanent protection. Read more about crowns on the Prosthetics page.
With regular hygiene and checkups, an endodontically treated tooth can last for years, like any other tooth.
No. All endodontic procedures are performed under local anaesthesia and are completely painless.
No. Our goal is to save the tooth wherever possible. Root canal treatment removes only the diseased nerve, and the tooth remains in the mouth.
Processes on the nerve, acute or chronic, if untreated lead to changes at the tip of the tooth root, such as granulomas and cysts, and the infection spreads to the surrounding bone.
An apex locator is a device that precisely measures the length of the root canal. Thanks to it, the canal treatment is accurate, so even hard-to-access canals are not a problem.
Deep caries that has reached the nerve, inflammation of the dental nerve (pulpitis), tooth gangrene and inflammation of the tissue around the root tip (periodontitis).
Yes. A treated tooth remains in the mouth and chews normally. The doctor assesses whether it needs a filling or a crown as permanent protection.