Although not many people are familiar with the phrase “gutta percha,” they are essential in dentistry, particularly in root canal procedures. Understanding what they are, how they function, and why they are significant can help us better understand how they help preserve and mend damaged teeth.
In this blog, we will discuss gutta percha points, their application in dentistry, and their significance for maintaining tooth health.
What Are Gutta Percha Points?
There are gutta percha points- tiny, pliable, cone-shaped materials obtained from the latex of the gutta percha tree mainly found in Southeast Asia. They are used very occasionally in dental practice only for filling and sealing the root canal of a tooth after the treatment, and there are specific properties that make this material most suitable for use in a dental application. It is biocompatible, meaning it does not cause harm or irritation to the surrounding tissues, and it is non-toxic, ensuring that it is safe to use inside the body.
Gutta-percha is considered a raw material and one of the kinds of natural rubber-like material. It has been perfected and habituated over time to be used for most medical and industrial purposes. Still, in dentistry, it is applied to minor points that can easily pass through the root canal of the tooth.
The Importance of Root Canal Treatments
To understand the function of gutta percha points well, it would be essential to have a general knowledge of what happens in a root canal treatment. A root canal treatment is applied when the pulp inside the tooth has become damaged or infected, containing nerves and blood vessels. This most often occurs due to deep decay, cracking of the tooth, or even trauma to the tooth. Without treatment, the infection spreads out, and may cause pain with swelling that will eventually lead to loss of the tooth. Root canal treatment is also related to the removal of infected or damaged pulp of the tooth.
The inside of the tooth is cleaned and sealed so that bacteria or other harmful particles cannot come into contact with it and cause infection again. That is where gutta percha points will be used. They would need to fill the space left empty by the removal of the pulp to seal the tooth well for its protection.
How Do Gutta Percha Points Work?
After canal cleansing and modelling, gutta-percha points are introduced cautiously inside the canal so that the cavity inside is adequately filled. According to the canal’s shape, a definite size and shape will be designed for the points so that they can perfectly fit. Sometimes, more than one point may also be necessary so that the canal is wholly filled.
Gutta-percha points are used in a root canal on the basis of the principle of.
1. Canal Sealing: After the infected pulps have been extracted from the inner space of the root canal cavity, the gutta-percha points are inserted. They are primarily there to close the opening very tightly so that the bacteria will not enter again to cause infection. The gutta-percha points are soft, so they can flex along with the canal and fill every tiny crevice.
2. Intrusive Support to the Tooth through Gutta Percha Points: After getting the root canal filled, Gutta Percha Points give intrusive support to the tooth and hold the structure in place of the tooth. So, in the absence of that one, it is weak and more fragile or prone to breakage or fracture.
3. Antimicrobial Action: Gutta percha points are used to fill the root canal. The gutta-percha acts as a protective agent, preventing unwanted agents and microbes from entering the tooth. This is necessary; otherwise, treatment should last long enough, and the tooth would keep on functioning without creating further hassles.
4. Durability: Gutta-percha is very hard and has resistive properties. Once cemented to the tooth, it can very well stay in the tooth for several years, the lifetime of the tooth itself. For this reason, it remains the most dependable material for dental procedures because it does not deteriorate or break down with time.
The Several Kinds of Gutta Percha Points
The types of gutta-percha points are commercially sold according to the kind that is going to be used in the dental procedure. The types of the most commonly used gutta-percha points are as follows:
- General Gutta Percha Points: These are the most frequently applied points. They come in different sizes according to the type of root canal filling and are generally used for primary canal filling.
- Auxiliary Gutta Percha Points: Fine points that can be used in areas remaining with some space between points which have been submitted to the canal and placed in that canal. Such perfectly seals the canal from one end to the other.
- Tapered Gutta Percha Points: Taper along the outline of the root canal after the dentist has drafted it. The fit and seal are perfect.
The kind of gutta percha points to be used usually depends significantly on the individual needs of the patient and the status of the tooth that the dentist is supposed to treat.
Advantages when Applying Gutta Percha Points in Dental Treatment
One of the advantages of using gutta-percha points in dental treatments is that some of them include the following: root canal treatment. Some of these are:
- Biocompatibility: Because gutta-percha is a natural substance, it is well-biocompatible and thus does not react adversely in the patient’s body. Therefore, it can be safely used in dental treatments.
- Non-Toxicity: The gutta-percha points are non-toxic. Thus, it does not induce any injury to the body, which, in a medical context, has to be strictly safe before use inside the human body.
- Flexibility: They become pliable and can be inserted into the root canal, filling up and sealing the whole canal and making it more resistant to future infections.
- Durability: Gutta percha points are long-lasting, and once the end is inserted, the desired force is provided so that the tooth will remain fit and healthy for a long time.
Conclusion
Gutta percha points play a crucial role in contemporary dentistry, especially in root canal procedures. By filling and sealing the root canal with these tiny, flexible points, the tooth is given robust and long-lasting support and is kept from becoming infected again.
Gutta-percha points are beneficial in dental care because they can prevent bacteria from reentering the tooth. Dentists rely on gutta-percha points to ensure the tooth is completely restored to health following a root canal procedure. In addition to avoiding discomfort, this enables patients to have a healthy, functional smile for many years to come.
