Almost all of us had to deal with intolerable toothache . In most cases, extreme discomfort is associated with inflammation or nerve damage. One of the surest solutions in such situations is the eradication of pulp. Let's see how to remove a nerve from a tooth. In what cases can not do without it? Does it hurt to remove a nerve from a tooth? Let's get it right.
What functions does the nerve perform?
Why does a tooth need a nerve? Thanks to him, teeth are sensitive to external stimuli, such as exposure to cold and heat. Nerve fibers transmit signals to the brain about other factors that cause pain. In the absence of pulp, the tooth gradually dies. After all, the absence of blood vessels and nerve endings that lie in the inner membranes leads to a loss of blood supply and the flow of minerals into the tissues. A tooth without a nerve is able to retain its previous structure for some time. However, over time, destructive processes will necessarily occur in it.
Signs of nerve damage
To understand how bad things are and whether it is worth resorting to nerve removal, you need to listen to your own feelings. Surely, the procedure cannot be avoided if aching pain is regularly felt that develops for no apparent reason. The discomfort may intensify closer to the evening, with a change in the position of the head, in particular when bending and trying to lie down.
Making sure the nerve is damaged will allow a cold test. To do this, it is enough to take a piece of ice and attach it to a diseased tooth. If you feel acute discomfort, and the pain does not go away for a few seconds after eliminating the irritant, in this case, you should urgently make an appointment with a dentist.
Indications for the procedure
In what cases is a nerve removed from a tooth? Most often, such a need arises with the development of deep carious processes. Pathogenic bacteria destroy the structure of tissues, penetrating into the pulp chamber. This is followed by inflammatory processes. In dental practice, the disease is called pulpitis. A pathological phenomenon is often accompanied by intolerable pain. Over time, discomfort can move to neighboring areas of tissue.
Sometimes it is necessary to remove the nerve after receiving an injury. Damage to the pulp as a result of mechanical action is less common compared with all kinds of infectious lesions. In order to avoid the development of inflammatory processes, soft tooth tissues will also have to be removed here.
In rare cases, the pulp is compressed by stones formed in the root canals. At the same time, there is a compressive effect on the vascular bundles in the tooth structure, which causes irritation and a sensation of pain. A nerve in this situation can visually look healthy. However, to eliminate the discomfort, you still have to delete it.
Arsenic removal of a nerve
More recently, there was no adequate alternative to the procedure using arsenic. Is it painful to remove a nerve from a tooth in this way? This decision can cause a lot of discomfort.
The operation involves treating the corresponding area with Lidocaine and opening the top of the tooth. This allows the dentist to access the pulp. Then, arsenic paste is placed in the hole formed. The opening site of hard tissue is covered with a hard filling.
How to remove a nerve from a tooth? After a few days, the pulp softens. The temporary filling is removed and all dead tissue is removed. Then follows the cleaning of the canals. Finally, a permanent seal is established.
At first glance, the procedure seems quite simple. However, such a method of nerve removal today is resorted to in isolated cases. After all, the decision is fraught with the development of complications. The fact is that direct dental canals are rare in patients. It is not at all easy for dentists to process branched pathways of nerve endings. Particular problems arise in situations where arsenic has not killed all the soft tissues. In this case, it may happen that the nerve is removed, and the tooth hurts.
Modern methods of nerve removal
Does it hurt to remove a nerve from a tooth these days? Today, dentists are able to offer the patient high-quality anesthesia. In most cases, the only discomfort is the need for a long stay in the dental chair. After local anesthesia, doctors resort to the standard procedure:
- Preparation of the work area - so that it is convenient for the dentist to perform manipulations, and no liquids flow into the pulp chamber, the tooth is protected by a special protective film.
- Hard tissue processing - areas affected by caries are cut away. During the procedure, air cooling is used.
- Gaining access to the pulp - the camera where the nerve endings and blood vessels lie is opened.
- Nerve extraction - soft tissue is extracted from the tooth using a pulp extractor. The tool is a thin spiral. Actually, a nerve is wound on the latter.
- Rinsing canals involves treating tissues with disinfecting fluids, which makes it possible to remove small particles of pulp and avoid the spread of infections.
- Finally, the filling of the channels is performed.
Nerve removal without anesthesia
Some patients in dental offices have an individual intolerance to the active ingredients of the drugs, which are used for pain relief. In such cases, the procedure is performed without anesthesia. Is it painful to remove a nerve from a tooth in such a situation? If the pulp has softened as a result of exposure to arsenic, only slight discomfort will be felt when processing the channels mechanically. When the nerve is still alive, the procedure will be painful. How significant the discomfort will be depends on the sensitivity of the patient.
Causes of discomfort after nerve removal
What caused the effect when the nerve was removed, and the tooth hurts? There are several explanations for the phenomenon. After removing the pulp, temporary discomfort may occur. There is nothing to worry about. The pain caused by mechanical action on hard tissues gradually disappears. Often unpleasant sensations consist in a small ripple. Usually a similar effect occurs when you click on a tooth.
The cause of pain after the procedure is often a medical error. Unskilled dentists sometimes do not completely remove the nerve, poorly clean tissues. In some cases, particles of a medical instrument get stuck in the channels. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to seek the help of trusted dentists.
Procedure cost
How much does it cost to remove a nerve from a tooth? It all depends on several factors. First, the price is determined by the method that is used to remove the nerve. In addition, the operation in each case may consist of several procedures and require the use of certain consumables. On average, treatment for pulpitis is about 4000 rubles.
Possible consequences
Should a nerve be removed from a tooth? If there is no emergency, it is better to postpone the procedure. Without pulp, a tooth is considered dead. Local tissues no longer feed on oxygen and nutrients. Gradually, the enamel may begin to crumble. Based on this, resorting to such measures should only be done when the pulp is susceptible to serious inflammatory processes.
A tooth devoid of a nerve will inevitably fade over time. There is nothing surprising. The phenomenon is explained by the lack of the ability to feed tissues with phosphorus through the channels. It is this trace element that is responsible for the enamel shine. The shade of the tooth can also change when used when filling cheap or low-quality materials.
Features of nerve removal during pregnancy
Is it necessary to remove the nerve if the future mother has a toothache? Women in position are not recommended to resort to any dental procedures until the 27th week of pregnancy. In the early stages of the dentist's action, they are potentially capable of harming an unformed fetus. The only exceptions are situations where pulp inflammation is fraught with the development of various complications and serious health consequences.
Before you remove the nerve, the dentist must ask what medications a pregnant woman takes. Here you can not do without a X-ray of the dental canals using a protective apron, which protects the fetus from harmful radiation. The nerve removal procedure itself can be carried out using painkillers, the active ingredients of which are not able to penetrate the placenta and affect the state of the unborn baby.
Do I need to remove nerves in milk teeth?
Some parents are convinced that there is absolutely no need to spend money on treating milk teeth in children. Since they will fall out over time for natural reasons. In fact, baby teeth must remain healthy until their physiological change occurs. If pathological processes in the form of inflammation develop in the tissues, subsequently this can harm the condition of the entire oral cavity. Therefore, the need to remove a nerve in milk teeth is due to objective reasons.
Finally
As you can see, removing the nerve from the tooth is a crucial procedure. It is necessary to approach the operation with all seriousness. In order not to experience pain during the necessary measures and not to encounter complications, it is extremely important to consult a qualified doctor. Also, to get rid of discomfort, you should follow all the recommendations of the dentist.