Tooth structure
At the center of all teeth is a hollow area that houses soft tissues, such as the nerve, blood vessels, and connective tissue. This hollow area contains a relatively wide space in the coronal portion of the tooth called the pulp chamber. These canals run through the center of the roots, similar to how pencil lead runs through a pencil. The pulp receives nutrition through the blood vessels, and sensory nerves carry signals back to the brain.
Dental pulp
The space inside the root canals is filled with a highly vascularized, loose connective tissue, the dental pulp. The dental pulp is the tissue of which the dentin portion of the tooth is composed. The dental pulp helps complete formation of the secondary teeth (adult teeth) one to two years after eruption into the mouth. The dental pulp also nourishes and hydrates the tooth structure which makes the tooth more resilient, less brittle and less prone to fracture from chewing hard foods. Additionally, the dental pulp provides a hot and cold sensory function.
Root canal is also a colloquial term for a dental operation, endodontic therapy, wherein the pulp is cleaned out, the space disinfected and then filled.
Root canal anatomy
The smaller branches, referred to as accessory canals, are most frequently found near the root end (apex) but may be encountered anywhere along the root length. The total number of root canals per tooth depends on the number of the tooth roots ranging from one to four, five or more in some cases. Sometimes there is more than one root canal per root. Some teeth have more variable internal anatomy than others. An unusual root canal shape, complex branching (especially the existence of horizontal branches), and multiple root canals are considered as the main causes of root canal treatment failures.(e.g. if the dentist does not notice a small secondary root canal branch so that it is cleaned and sealed, it will remain infected causing the root canal therapy to fail).
Root canal anatomy in cross-section
Root canals presenting an oval cross-section are found in 50%-70% of root canals.[2] In addition, canals with a "tear-shaped" cross section are common whenever a single root contains two canals (e.g., mesial roots of lower molars). Nevertheless, these aspects of root-canal anatomy are not seen or recognized in conventional 2D radiographs, as the long axis of their flat cross section is usually directed in parallel to the direction of the x-ray beam. With the increased use of Cone Beam Computerized Tomography (CBCT), these shapes are likely to be more and more often seen and recognized not only by endodontists but also in the clinical environment of general practice.
When rotary NiTi files are used in canals with flat-oval or tear-shaped cross sections, a circular bore is created, while the buccal and/or lingual recesses remain un-instrumented. It takes the awareness that a given canal is flat and expertise in creative use of hand instruments to try to overcome this problem.
Tissue or biofilm remnants along such un-instrumented recesses may lead to failure due both to inadequate disinfection and to the inability to properly obturate the root-canal space.
Dr. Gardner’s office located at 8200 Carmel Ave NE Suite 101 is fully equipped to cater patients with different dental problems. As an experienced dentist in Albuquerque, Dr. Gardner does assure that people in the central New Mexico area will be provided with the best dental tooth whitening services, but also other dental services including dental implants, dental bridgework, dental filings, dental cleaning and providing well-fitted dentures.
If you are in the New Mexico area please call 505-828-2669 to discuss available treatments and dental makeover procedures, you can visit Dr. Gardner’s office and he will help you achieve the best smile you will ever have.
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(Source Wikipedia a great source of Information The free encyclopedia)