Today, probably, there is no such person who would never turn to a dentist for help. Such a pathology as tooth decay caries occurs with complications of radical or cervical destruction. It is characterized by damage to the structure located under the gum tissue. It is not possible to determine root caries during a visual examination. If pathogenic microflora actively develops in the human oral cavity, bone tissues can lose a huge amount of mineral components: phosphorus, potassium and calcium. As a result, thinning of the tissues covering the neck of the incisor and the tooth root is observed. It is these parts that hold them in the alveolar protrusion.
With cement damage, infection of the cervical zone may occur. If root caries has not been treated on time, the infection can spread to the closed part of the tooth and to the deep layers of the gums. This can lead to severe inflammatory processes in the gums and periosteum. In each case, only a qualified dentist can diagnose and prescribe the appropriate treatment. If the lesion has gone quite deeply, then the tooth will most likely have to be removed.
Factors
Why does tooth root decay occur ? The reason, as for other diseases of the oral cavity, is quite standard - insufficient hygienic care for the oral cavity. And this applies not only to simple cleaning of the incisors. It is also important to use other dentifrices - flosses, preventive balms and rinses. Non-observance of personal hygiene can ultimately lead to infection of healthy tissues. The result is the development of caries. A negative factor leading to the onset of the disease is also the use of other people's toothbrushes, handkerchiefs and dishes.
Due to the accumulation of food debris in the mouth, an environment appears favorable for the appearance of pathogenic bacteria and microbes. Therefore, after each meal, it is recommended to rinse your mouth with boiled water or rinses. Complicating the situation is the appearance of a gap between the neck of the tooth and the gum. Slices of food may clog into it. Doctors call such a gap a gingival pocket. Usually, if a person with such a pathology does not go to the doctor for a long time and does not undergo such a procedure as filling root caries, this leads to deep damage.
Causes
Let's dwell on this in more detail. Before you start discussing the treatment of tooth root caries, patient reviews and other issues, you need to understand the causes that cause it. The most common pathology leading to carious damage is inflammatory gum disease and infectious processes in the oral cavity.
Dental caries can also cause dental diseases such as periodontitis, periostitis, periodontitis, gingivitis, osteomyelitis. Often, inflammation of periodontal tissues leads to exfoliation of the mucous membranes of the gums and the formation of a gingival pocket. Here begins the active growth of pathological microorganisms.
The treatment of root caries may also vary depending on its location. Therapies will vary significantly.
Risk group
Who develops tooth decay most often? At risk are patients who do not pay enough attention to oral hygiene. Pathology can also develop against the background of dental diseases, various latent infectious processes. The rapid penetration of bacteria into the tissues of the tooth root is also facilitated by reduced immunity after autoimmune or infectious ailments. The body in this case is simply not able to cope with viruses and microbes on its own due to the fact that immune cells are not active enough. Thus, the focus of infection will always be in the patient’s oral cavity. The slightest violation of the integrity of the crowns, gums or neck of the teeth can lead to significant damage to the root or basal part.
The risk of developing deep caries among older patients is more than 80%. This is due primarily to the fact that with age, the gums fall. This leads to exposure of the basal area and the appearance of periodontal pockets.
Dentists are also at risk for people who have bad habits that affect tooth root infections, such as smoking, caffeine or alcohol abuse. In addition, the occurrence of this unpleasant disease is particularly susceptible to people who often experience sudden changes in temperature. At risk are those who often eat foods that injure gums. The cause of the development of root caries may also be diseases in which there is a decrease in the function of secretion of salivary secretion. The fact is that saliva contains lysozyme. This enzyme helps to destroy the walls of bacteria that prevent the formation of bacterial flora in the oral cavity.
How to recognize a disease?
This issue needs to be given special importance. How is root caries diagnosed? During a visual examination, pathology can not always be detected. The problem is further complicated by the fact that in most cases, tooth decay proceeds without any visible symptoms. The patient does not reveal any complaints. It is almost impossible to detect a hidden infectious process.
One of the most effective diagnostic methods is sounding with a dental mirror. To determine the degree of damage to the root of the tooth and confirm the diagnosis, the doctor can also prescribe an x-ray of the jaw in a certain projection. In some cases, a modern method called the orthopantomogram is used to diagnose caries of the root zone. This method of examination allows you to get a detailed picture of the teeth and bones of the jaw, as well as the adjacent bones of the skeleton.
Is it possible to carry out diagnostics on my own?
Let's look into this issue in more detail. It is almost impossible to diagnose tooth decay at home. Photos of cases will not help you with this. Even a qualified dentist can not always make a diagnosis after a visual examination. Inspection without the use of modern medical equipment is almost impossible. However, there are a number of signs of pathological processes in the cervical and basal zone, which almost always occur simultaneously with deep root caries.
Determine the destruction of root cement as follows. First you need to thoroughly clean the cutters. Then, with a thin toothpick, gently draw along the line between the teeth and gums, exerting a slight pressure. If during this action you feel strong pain or find cracks and chips, you must urgently consult a dentist in order to conduct a comprehensive diagnosis.
How to treat?
So what do you need to know about this? There is an opinion that carious root damage is a clear indication for tooth extraction, since in this case there is a high risk of infection of the bone gums and gums. However, modern technologies and innovative medicines help not only to save the incisor, but also to prevent the occurrence of various complications.
What to do if you have tooth decay? To treat or delete? At the initial stage of the disease, professional cleaning of the oral cavity is usually prescribed. This procedure allows you to get rid of tartar. The lesions in most cases are under a layer of plaque. With insufficient sanitation of carious surfaces, re-infection and inflammation may occur.
The next step is the treatment with the use of antiseptics and medications. In this case, root caries filling may not even be performed. In conclusion, the patient is recommended to undergo a course of rehabilitation therapy. This treatment method is aimed at eliminating the factors that had an impact on the occurrence of caries.
It includes the following procedures:
- alignment of the dentition;
- replacement of crowns or prosthesis after the expiration of the service life;
- treatment with therapeutic drugs to strengthen the mucous membranes of the gums and enamel.
In case of damage to the gums surrounding the damaged tooth, the doctor may prescribe cauterization of pathological tissues. This procedure is carried out using special equipment. In some cases, gum tissue retraction can be performed. During this procedure, the edges of the gums hanging over the tooth and preventing the quality treatment of caries are adjusted. When performing this operation, dental threads are saturated with special hemostatic solutions. Then the carious cavities are cleaned, treated with an antiseptic and the installation of fillings.
How to fill?
On this issue, you should definitely consult a dentist. The choice of material for the manufacture of fillings is determined by the individual characteristics of the patient, as well as the localization of the affected area and the financial capabilities of the client.
Usually three types of materials are used, namely:
- Fiberglass cement: considered one of the best for filling areas located under the gums. It has excellent adhesive properties. Often fluorides are added to this cement. They are responsible for normalizing the mineral structure of the tooth.
- Amalgams: material with a long service life. In its manufacture, mercury compounds are used. Therefore, it is used extremely rarely: the technology of its use is quite complicated and requires special protection for both the patient and the medical staff. Root caries filling in children with the help of this material is not carried out.
- Compromised: in some cases, it may exhibit poor adhesion to the surface. As a result, the seal may fall out at the most inopportune moment.
The use of a drill is possible only if the damage is characterized by a small area of damage. If the disease affects the root of the tooth, filling will be ineffective.
Visit to the dentist
What should be done when a pathology such as tooth decay is detected? Treatment, photos of affected teeth - this is information that is usually of interest to patients. Can I get rid of the disease? Or will only complete removal help? If the root of the tooth is more than half damaged, the question may arise about the laws of its conservation. The doctor can determine the degree of caries, as well as give a forecast for the success of treatment, based on the results of a visual examination and x-rays.
In some cases, to save the cutter, you need to install a crown or a special tab. This method is essentially one of the types of prosthetics. A dental technician is responsible for making the tabs. He will be able to make a suitable product, based on the individual sizes and structural features of the affected tooth. The tab is an artificial seal made of ceramic materials and metal. It is fixed with a special glue. The entire installation procedure should be carried out under the supervision of an orthopedic surgeon. Usually it does not cause complications.
The tooth, if necessary, is fixed with an artificial crown. It looks like a cap that protects the cutter from damage and injuries. This treatment method allows you to get rid of caries for a long time, and is also a preventive measure that prevents the occurrence of damage to the roots of the teeth. The main thing is to follow all the doctor's recommendations and carefully care for the incisors.
Complications
Why is caries of roots so terrible? Photos of advanced cases of the disease help to get an idea of the possible aesthetic deficiencies. However, this is not the most important thing.
Tooth decay can cause the following complications:
- Inflammation and suppuration of the gums and tissues surrounding the tooth. They are responsible for fixing the tooth in the alveolus.
- Breaking off the crown.
- Fracture of the root.
- Purulent and inflammatory processes in bone structures.
To prevent such consequences from ever touching you, after installing the crown or tab, you must strictly observe oral hygiene. This will help to avoid the development of the inflammatory process. Also, such care will not allow infection to be introduced into the oral cavity, so healthy tissues will not be affected. At the slightest suspicion of developing caries or a focus of infection in the gums, you should consult your dentist. The doctor will help in time to prevent the development of serious diseases such as purulent lymphadenitis or sepsis.
Many believe that root caries in children should not be treated. All the same, milk teeth, when they fall out, a healthy incisor will grow in their place. This opinion is incorrect. Tooth decay can lead to inflammation and infection of bone tissue. Even after the diseased incisor falls out, the focus will remain. Most likely, a tooth that grows in its place will also be sick.
What if the patient is panicky afraid of dentists? In this case, the only possible option for dental treatment will be the use of sedative anesthesia. Under this type of general anesthesia, the patient retains consciousness. In this situation, the activity of pain receptors completely ceases. On the eve, for greater effectiveness of anesthesia, it is recommended to take natural sedatives, such as tincture of valerian.
Modern technologies
Recently, many new methods have appeared in dentistry. So, for example, root caries (according to ICD code K021) can be treated using laser technology. Many patients today prefer this method, since this equipment, unlike boron, does not exert a mechanical effect on the treated areas. In addition, the laser beam is characterized by high-frequency pulsation. Nerve endings in the oral cavity simply do not have time to respond with pain to laser exposure. Tissue overheating is also excluded due to active cooling of the treated area by the supplied water stream.
Laser treatment of tooth root caries is a high-quality, high-tech, minimally invasive surgery. The use of such modern equipment in some cases of carious lesions of the incisor helps to avoid the development of complications. In addition, this treatment method contributes to the accelerated regeneration of damaged tissues and reduces the risk of relapse.
Conclusion
Tooth decay is a fairly serious pathology. The main factor in its development is non-compliance with oral hygiene requirements. Also, this disease can develop against the background of other disorders in the body. If you do not pay enough attention to the problem and do not turn to a specialized specialist at the initial stage of the development of the disease, there is a risk of losing a tooth. Root caries is difficult to diagnose. A single visual examination for this will not be enough, the doctor may prescribe an additional x-ray examination. Treatment of caries is carried out both by surgical intervention, and with the help of medications.