The Disorder That Might Be Destroying Your Tooth From The Inside
Practically everyone knows that cavities are a form of tooth decay in which the tooth is slowly destroyed by acid and bacteria breaking down the exterior of the tooth. However, what you probably don't know is that there's a disorder that can break down your teeth from the inside, and you might have it without feeling a thing. This disorder is called internal resorption, and this guide will explain what it is, how you can keep it from progressing, and how it's treated.
Damage From Within
Internal resorption does exactly what its name sounds like: the inside of your tooth, starting at the root, is gradually reabsorbed into your body. Tooth resorption has a purpose: when you're a child, your body reabsorbs the roots of your baby teeth. This is why baby teeth that naturally fall out don't have a root anymore and are generally hollow. However, this process is unnecessary for adult teeth but sometimes happens anyway.
This disorder can be caused by prolonged nerve inflammation or an injury to the tooth. Since it's not an infection, it's generally painless and there are no visible signs until it's completely absorbed the inside of the tooth and progresses to parts visible to the naked eye: the dentin and the enamel.
How It's Detected
The only way for this disorder to be detected before to it progressing past the point of repair is via x-ray. Teeth suffering from resorption look visibly hollow in comparison to their healthy counterparts. Whether the disorder is in its late stages or early on, an x-ray can reveal the problem and your dentist can treat it to keep it from destroying the entire tooth.
The disorder can also be identified if it's advanced to the stage where the exterior of the tooth has become damaged, but at this point the tooth can't be saved and must be removed and replaced with a dental implant. Since this disorder can happen to anyone at any time, it's important to have dental x-rays performed at least every 2-3 years or more depending on your oral health. The good news is that the disorder progresses fairly slowly, so if you get your x-rays when you should, your dentist can probably save the tooth.
How It's Treated
In the early stages, your dentist can stop this disorder in its tracks by performing a root canal. Teeth are rather remarkable: once adult teeth are fully developed, they no longer require their root and pulp to survive. As long as the tooth makes contact with your gums, it'll stay alive and healthy. Since the tooth's root is what absorbs the rest of the tooth, removing it and the pulp will stop the disorder completely. Tooth resorption can't spread to surrounding teeth, so once it's treated you won't need to worry about it anymore.
Internal tooth resorption is a bizarre disorder, but with modern technology it can be caught and stopped. Never put off x-rays or dentist visits: even if you maintain perfect oral hygiene, you could still lose a tooth to this disorder.
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