Pulpitis

Tooth root inflammation: Infection inside the tooth

What is colloquially referred to as tooth root inflammation is, strictly speaking, an inflammation of the dental pulp. The medical term “pulpitis” is also derived from this. This inflammation is usually accompanied by very severe pain and only a visit to the dentist can provide relief.

In this article you will learn everything you need to know about inflammation of the tooth root:

Causes
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Therapy

Causes: How pulpitis occurs

Tooth root inflammation is generally caused by damage to the pulp. In the vast majority of cases, this occurs due to bacterial infestation as a result of advanced caries. In general, however, the damage can also have other causes, such as a trauma (fall or blow) that interrupts the blood supply to the pulp. Advanced periodontitis or untreated or insufficiently treated bruxism (teeth grinding) can also be named as causes.

Colloquially, pulpitis is referred to as “tooth root inflammation”, which is probably due to the fact that the inflamed tissue can extend to the root. However, the pulp is the dental pulp, which is located inside the tooth, protected and surrounded by dentine (dentin) and enamel. It is soft tissue made up of connective tissue, blood vessels and nerves.

Symptoms: How does inflammation of the tooth root manifest itself?

The pulp is the most sensitive part of the tooth. If there is an infection here, it becomes noticeable through very severe pain, which can often hardly be alleviated with conventional painkillers. This toothache can manifest itself in different ways:

Biting pain
Sensitivity to cold or heat
throbbing pain

Anyone experiencing pain of this kind should not hesitate to consult a dentist immediately. Timely intervention can reduce the inflammation of the tooth root and preserve the vitality of the tooth. If pulpitis is left untreated, there is a risk that the inflammation will spread to the tip of the root and spread to the tissue surrounding the tooth and the bone.

Tooth root inflammation can lead to the death of the tooth. Therefore, the sudden cessation of the severe pain you were previously experiencing should not be taken as a good sign. In this case too, consult a dentist to have your symptoms checked and, if necessary, treated professionally.

See an endodontics specialist with a tooth root inflammation: what we can do for you

Diagnosis: questioning, cold test and x-ray

If you come to our practice with an inflamed dental nerve, we will take a detailed medical history. We will first ask you about your previous medical history of the tooth and how you feel the pain (intensity, duration, stimuli). A vitality test is then carried out. This can be carried out with the aid of a cold spray or a light electrical stimulus.

If the suspicion of pulpitis is confirmed, an X-ray check will provide final clarity. This also shows how far the inflammation has progressed.

Treatment: Therapies for tooth root inflammation

How the inflammation of the tooth root is to be treated depends on various factors, e.g. whether the tooth is still vital, what the cause is and how far the inflammation has progressed. There are basically two types of pulpitis: reversible and irreversible.

In the case of reversible pulpitis, the inflammation can still heal by eliminating the cause. If, for example, a deep caries causes irritation of the pulp, this is carefully removed and the tooth is provided with a filling. At the beginning of the infection, there is a good chance of maintaining vitality in this way.

If the pulp is too badly damaged, for example because the blood supply has been interrupted by a fall or the bacterial infestation is too great, the vitality of the tooth cannot be maintained or is no longer present. In this case, we speak of irreversible pulpitis. Root canal treatment is necessary to preserve the natural tooth.

During this treatment, the inflamed and damaged tissue is removed, the root canals of the tooth are cleaned with special solutions and then sealed with a special filling material. You can find out more about root canal treatment on our therapy page on the subject of endodontics.

As a dentist in Friedrichshain we have specialized in root canal treatment with the microscope specialized. Thanks to our excellent technical equipment and our comprehensive expertise, we can achieve optimum endodontic results even with root canals that are very curved or difficult to access. For further information, please contact or ask your dentist for a referral.