Gutta percha in root canal treatment

What does Gutta Percha mean? Gutta-Percha Root Canal Filling : Use and Procedure. Endodontic treatment normally entails a root canal.

This procedure is designed to clear a tooth or gum of the infection that can generate more serious oral and general health problems. Sealing the canal constitutes a critical part of this process.

There are various techniques of placing gutta-percha inside root canals : The standard endodontic technique involves inserting a gutta-percha cone (or a point) into the cleaned-out root canal along with a sealing cement. Another technique uses melted or heat-softened gutta-percha , which is then injected or pressed into the root canal passages. The inflammation or infection can have a variety of causes: deep decay repeated dental procedures on the tooth or a crack or chip in the tooth.

Preliminary treatment to remove the decay and the source of infection of the pulp is necessary, along with a determination of whether the lost tooth structure can be restored. If a fracture of the tooth has reached the pulp, or infection is associated with gum disease , it could be more difficult,. For years, most schools and academic institutions taught that the gutta - percha point should end at the radiographic apex of the root —i.

Yet when we did that, a certain percentage of patients felt uncomfortable and could not easily bite on their endodontically treated teeth.

And there were other problems. The dentist removes the infected pulp of the tooth , cleans the root canals , seals the canal with gutta-percha and then places a crown on top of the tooth. The procedure takes two or more sittings usually depending on the extent of damage to the tooth. Epoxy resin is employed to bind gutta-percha in some root canal procedures.

Ideally, the filling material should be inert and easy to handle. Standard root canal therapy uses gutta percha , the coagulated sap of certain tropical trees. A root canal is a treatment to repair and save a badly damaged or infected tooth. The procedure involves removing the damaged area of the tooth (the pulp ), cleaning and disinfecting it and then filling and sealing it. The gutta - percha cones can be manipulated into the root canal with either cold lateral condensation, or through a method which involves softening the core filling material with the application of heat, which was introduced more than years ago by Dr.

The gutta - percha and sealer filling material has been the most popular and most tested filling material throughout the history of nonsurgical endodontic procedures. First, gutta - percha is laterally condensed in the apical half of the canal to provide apical control, and then a compactor is used to plasticise and condense the gutta - percha in the straight coronal half of the canal. These two tools—the file and gutta percha filling—remain part of standard endodontic treatment. Most schools and academic institutions taught that the gutta - percha point should end at the radiographic apex of the root. This is the zenith or highest point of the root as seen on the clinical x-ray.

The most frequently used root canal filling material is a compound called gutta percha. It has a flexible, rubbery nature, both at room temperature and even more so when warmed.

Gutta percha comes in preformed cones (often referred to as points) whose sizes exactly match the dimensions (diameter, taper) of root canal files. The main objective of endodontic treatment is to provide hermetic obturation of the root canal system with an inert, biocompatible, and dimensionally stable filling material. Root canal overfills occur when a dentist is obturating (filling) a root canal. If the gutta percha extrudes out the end of the root it is called an overfill. Usually over fills are not a problem as long as the resulting apical seal that is created is good.

If you are having trouble with a tooth and are advised to have root canal surgery by your dentist you could need to worry about more than just the pain in your purse. Research this well and speak in detail to your dentist before going ahead and good luck! In pulpectomy, damaged pulp is removed from the tooth through an opening on the crown.

Filling is done in the removed pulp area with gutta - percha material.