Dead Tooth
A tooth is considered to be Dead Tooth when it is no longer receives blood flow.
Layers of a Tooth
Our teeth are composed of three layers:
At first, Enamel, which is the hardest substance in our body it is also the covering of the tooth, Dentin that is the softer layer in the Enamel and Pulp, which is the deepest area of our teeth that carries nerves and blood vessels to keep a tooth alive.
Causes of a Dead Tooth
Tooth Decaying and Dental Trauma are the two major reasons that lead to a Dead Tooth.
Tooth Decay
- Tooth Decay: When decay is not treated, the cavity starts going through inside the tooth until it reaches the pulp or nerve, causing it to get damaged and die. It may cause toothache.Your immune system is trying to remove all the bacteria in the cavity from the body. However, it cuts all the blood supply to the tooth and kills the pulp.
Dental Trauma
- Dental Trauma: Dental trauma is the hard blow against a tooth during any sports or other activities which leads to a dead tooth. The dental trauma separates the blood supply at the tip of the root, which causes the pulp to die.
Treat a Dead Tooth
There are two procedures to heal a dead tooth:
Root Canal
- A Root Canal is the best procedure to treat a dead tooth. In the Root Canal technique, a dentist can take away the dead pulp, treat the infection and leave the tooth intact. It is better to save natural tooth structure, and after getting Root Canal treatment, you can save the tooth and restore function with the addition of a dental crown.
Tooth Extraction
- Tooth Extraction is also the second treatment to save a Dead Tooth. But if the infected tooth is not treated with a root canal, removing the tooth will be the only option to protect your oral health.
Takeaway: Dead Tooth caused due to dental trauma is not in our hand, but Dead Tooth caused due to Tooth decaying can be prevented by practising good oral hygiene.