Your smile is a sign of your charm and friendliness. However, some dental diseases can affect the vitality of our teeth. A devitalized tooth is a tooth that has become insensitive either voluntarily to relieve pain or after a traumatic shock. In order to provide the best care for devitalized teeth, it is advisable to consult a dentist.
Devitalized teeth: a definition
The tooth is a hard organ composed of mineralized tissues, specifically calcium hydroxyapatite. A tooth is composed of three distinct sections. The crown is the raised part of the tooth, which is necessary for chewing. This upper part is covered with the enamel that protects it and gives it this pearly white colour. The enamel covers the dentine which connects the crown and the pulp. This last section contains all the blood vessels and the tooth nerves. The dentine and pulp are attached to the jawbone.
Contrary to popular belief, devitalized teeth are not dead teeth. The tooth is still connected to the bone by the ligaments and fed by the blood vessels. The tooth nerve, on the other hand, has completely receded so that the tooth is completely desensitized.
There is a correlation between dental pathologies and cardiac pathologies. Tooth infections can affect the vessels and diffuse certain bacteria into the blood supplying the body through the arteries. It is therefore important to have a dental infection monitored by a specialist.
Devitalized teeth: causes
The causes that lead dentists to carry out the devitalization of a tooth are either due to infection or trauma.
It is possible to devitalize a tooth as a result of decay. Food can leave deposits of bacteria that seep into the enamel of the tooth as well as saliva acidity. A cavity is formed and bacteria enters the tooth. If the decay is not treated in time, the bacteria can reach the nerve and cause an infection. This is painful and the tooth must be devitalized in order to treat the infection.
Furthermore, during an accident or a violent blow to the teeth, they can be badly damaged. If the tooth is broken or torn off, the nerve is directly impacted. In order to protect the vessels and the nerve, devitalization is essential in majority of cases.
Devitalized teeth: treatments
An initial visit to the dentist is necessary in order to agree on the best treatment to apply.
Once a tooth has been devitalized, in other words the nerve has been removed and the tooth has no particular sensitivity, it is a question of reconstructing it.
In order to protect the root of the tooth, the dentist suggests the installation of a dental prosthesis to the patient. These prostheses take the form of a crown that allows the patient to be able to chew properly. The crown can be made of porcelain so that it is the same colour as the patient’s natural teeth, or metal (silver).
The crown is moulded and adjusted so that it is best suited to create no visual and/or functional discomfort. Patients can smile again and show all of their teeth.
Our solutions to whiten devitalized teeth
Internal teeth whitening
A hydrogen peroxide based product that whitens the tooth directly on the inside.
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