Endodontics and restorative dentistry
Endodontics and restorative dentistry are key branches of dental medicine dedicated to preserving natural teeth and restoring their function and aesthetics. Endodontics focuses on treating the inner structures of the tooth, most often through root canal therapy, when the dental pulp (nerve) becomes inflamed or infected. Timely intervention can prevent tooth extraction and preserve its function. Restorative dentistry includes all procedures aimed at restoring teeth damaged by decay, trauma, or wear. By using modern materials and techniques, we restore the natural appearance and function of teeth — from aesthetic fillings to buildups and prosthetic restorations. Our goal is a healthy, functional, and beautiful smile with minimal intervention and maximum results.
Tooth treatment and fillings
Microorganisms that colonize the inner space of the tooth due to prolonged and untreated tooth decay, or after unsuccessful endodontic therapy, cause an inflammatory reaction of the dental tissue. The long-term survival of a tooth affected by such bacterial infection depends on the quality of each step in endodontic treatment: thorough diagnostics, creation of an access cavity, chemo-mechanical disinfection, canal filling, and post-endodontic restoration of the tooth — ideally with a buildup (“post”) and a ceramic crown (“dental cap”). Endodontic healing is often complicated by the diversity and resistance of the microbial flora that causes the disease, as well as by the complex anatomy of the tooth itself.
The first symptoms of dental inflammation usually include spontaneous toothache (ranging from mild to severe) and tooth sensitivity to various stimuli (heat, sweets, biting). In severe cases, swelling of the gums and face in the affected area may occur, accompanied by pain and fever — requiring urgent treatment. Alternatively, symptoms may be completely absent, while radiographic diagnostics reveal a chronic inflammatory process (granuloma) hidden in the tissue around the root tip. In all cases, the problematic tooth must be treated. A natural, healthy, and restored tooth is always better than any implant.
What was once a long and demanding treatment process with uncertain outcomes (often lasting several months with numerous dental visits) can now, thanks to modern technology and the latest knowledge, be shortened to just one or two appointments — greatly increasing the likelihood of complete healing of the tooth and surrounding tissues. The procedure begins with anesthesia to ensure the patient feels no pain. The tooth is then opened and cleaned from the inside using special micro-instruments (“rotary endodontics”), designed to withstand high stress in narrow and curved root canals. If the best instruments and well-defined protocols are not used, there is a high risk of instrument breakage and treatment failure — something that unfortunately often occurs in non-specialized clinics with inadequately trained or poorly equipped staff.
Mechanical cleaning alone is not sufficient, so chemical irrigation of the root canals follows, using specific solutions and often additional techniques such as laser disinfection or ultrasonic activation with a piezo device. Finally, the canals are filled and sealed with bioactive cements, and the tooth is restored. In rare cases where the tooth cannot be healed conservatively despite all efforts, a surgical procedure to remove the root tip and the surrounding inflammation (“apicoectomy”) is performed. With modern tools such as dental 3D CT, advanced ultrasonic devices for root-end cleaning, and lasers, such procedures yield very good results (Figures 1 and 2). The final option is tooth extraction and planning for a dental implant or bridge.
Figure 1. Unsuccessfully treated lower premolar. The short root canal filling and a large inflammatory lesion (black circle at the root tip – granuloma) are visible. The tooth is painful. The patient was advised in another clinic to have the tooth extracted and replaced with an implant.
Figure 2. The same tooth after endodontic retreatment with laser assistance; the black circle at the root tip has disappeared, and the tooth now has a good prognosis.
White fillings (composite fillings)
Amalgam (silver) fillings have been banned in the European Union since 2025. Although well-made amalgam fillings could last for more than 20 years, modern dentistry has replaced them with equally durable materials such as aesthetic composite and glass ionomer fillings, as well as ceramic inlays and onlays. When proper protocols are followed, such restorations can last a very long time while restoring the tooth’s lost function.
Our dentists provide individualized advice for each patient to determine the best solution. Small cavities are effectively treated with composite (white) fillings, while larger structural losses are best restored with ceramic fillings or crowns. For example, a treated tooth often retains only an outer wall, with the rest removed during cavity cleaning or old filling replacement. If such a tooth is not restored with a buildup (an internal reinforcement connecting the crown and root) and a ceramic crown, the risk of sudden fracture while chewing hard food is significantly higher than in a properly restored tooth.
Patients often try to save money by choosing a simple filling after endodontic therapy, but this decision can lead to much higher costs later, as a fractured tooth often has to be extracted and replaced with an implant.
