Root canal treatment becomes necessary when the dental pulp is irrevocably damaged. This is usually caused by caries bacteria penetrating the dentin, but can also be caused by a crack or by a trauma-induced nerve fibre tearing at the root tip.

With teenagers it’s possible to directly cap the pulp and keep the nerve alive despite a minimal pulp opening.

However, in adults, the entire nerve-blood vessel network needs to be removed from the tooth: The tooth is drilled from above, and the soft, delicate pulp tissue is then removed with a series of precise, machine-operated files. A high-quality root canal treatment aims to expand each canal sufficiently, but not substantially - precisely to the nerve's former exit point at the root tip.

In another session, the cavities are then filled after several disinfecting rinses. It goes without saying that this task requires the utmost precision and concentration. Often, up to four channels must be prepared at the same time, with different lengths and varying diameters. Every conscientious dentist considers the compensation offered by public health insurances to be a joke.

Thus, the additional time and material costs have to be billed privately to the patient. However, the effort is worth it since mechanical preparation and electrical length measurements can significantly improve long-term endodontic success.

Dr Selmair has been certified in Endodontology (eazf - Europäische Akademie für zahnärztliche Fort- und Weiterbildung der Bayerischen Landeszahnärztekammer) since 2008 and has the appropriate experience to ensure a purposeful consultation as well as a reliable treatment.