ROOT CANAL THERAPY-BIOLOGICALLY ACCEPTABLE?

Conventional Root canal therapy has been associated with a host of health concerns. If done according to specific holistic guidelines, however, using lasers and alternate root filling material, it can, according to this author be a beneficial procedure.

Dentists across the globe annually carry out approximately three hundred million root canal procedures. Root canal therapy is done when a nerve in a tooth dies. Root canal procedures involve cleaning out the dead or dying nerve, and filling the roots of the tooth, most commonly with a rubber compound known as gutta percha.

All known natural  or other therapies attempting to clear the infection that occurs when a dental nerve dies and breaks down into necrotic tissue, may strengthen the body’s resistance, but don’t work ultimately  to resolve the infection, because there is no blood supply to the internal chamber of a tooth. Once the nerve is dead, then, and starts to break down, the ensuing infection is  ongoing, as with no blood supply to remove toxins and debris, the necrotic material continues to accumulate in the root canals.

So what choices does one have when faced with a dead or dying dental nerve? Only two at this time, root canal therapy or extraction of the tooth. Both these procedures can lead to ongoing health considerations.

HEALTH DANGERS OF CONVENTIONAL ROOT CANAL THERAPY

In the DVD, “Rooted” produced by Sydney dentist, Dr. Robert Gamall, it’s stated that more chronic
degenerative disease can be directly attributed to conventional root canal therapy than any other single factor. If this claim is correct, there must be very serious bio-stressors associated with conventional root canal procedures. What are these bio-stressors, and can they be avoided, and still save a tooth using root canal procedures?

MICROTUBULE STRUCTURE OF THE ROOT CANAL:CHRONIC FOCI OF INFECTION

The wall of the root canal is composed of tiny tubules. In relation to the size of these tubules a bacteria would be the size of a tennis ball in a room.

Dr. Russell Meinig was one of the first dentists to expose the health risks of conventional root canal therapy. In his book, "Root Canal Cover-up", he writes that a focus of chronic infection is created with conventional root canal operations, as the microtubules left open in the tooth, harbour bacteria. He writes that it is impossible to remove the bacteria from the microtubules using conventional methods, such as disinfectant liquid solution. Dr. Meinig’s book contains x-ray images showing bone loss around root canal sites, with osteitis(inflammation of the bone) in the jaw, as a result of years of chronic infection.

The infection is drained by the lymph and circulatory systems, and carried to the heart and other organs, according to Dr. Meining, leading to heart disease, immune system breakdown and a host of other health problems.

Based on Dr. Meinig’s and other dentists findings, one “holistic” view of root canal theray is that it is a biologically unacceptable procedure. As such, this holistic view recommends extraction of a tooth with a dead nerve.

DENTAL EXTRACTION, EFFECTS ON TMJ/CRANIAL FUNCTION

Stem cell therapy research is ongoing to regrow missing teeth. Other than this technology, which is

not yet available to the public, once a tooth is gone, it is for life. Dental implants are done to replace missing teeth, as well as dentures. Dental implants are expensive, costing four or five thousand dollars. Dental implants require a number of ongoing visits over many months, and there can be complications and failed procedures. Tooth structure includes the dental ligament which contains proprioceptors, which send information to the brain, when pressure is exerted on the tooth, as in chewing.

When a tooth is extracted, the dental ligament goes too, so anything done to replace the missing tooth is not going to have the dental ligament and associated proprioceptors. The loss of this normal proprioceptive mechanism may create some stress into the cranium upon chewing.

If a missing tooth is not replaced, there can be both aesthetic and biomechanical considerations. From a “holistic” biomechanical viewpoint, loss of teeth can affect the function of the tempero-mandibular joint(jaw joint). This affects the powerful muscles of mastication, which open and close the jaw. These muscles when out of balance, exert pressures on the cranial bones. When these bones lose their normal relationship and synergistic function, it affects the flexion/extension mechanism of the skull, which pumps cerebro-spinal fluid. Cranal nerve function, can also be affected, influencing the senses and digestion. As the cranium houses the “CPU”, the bio-computer’s central processing centre(the brain) many nervous system imbalances and disorders can occur when the cranium is under stress.

HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS AFFECTED BY CRANIAL STRESS

On an energetic level, the cranium and brain, are related to higher consciousness. Disturbances in the cranial mechanisms in chiropractic and osteopathic understanding has long been known to cause behavioural disturbances. Chiropractors and other practitioners working with TMJ dysfunction and cranial problems know well the far reaching effects of imbalances created when these systems are under stress.

Keeping the above in mind, it should be absolutely paramount to save teeth whenever possible, rather than perform extractions.

CAN BIO-STRESSORS ASSOCIATED WITH CONVENTIONAL ROOT CANAL THERAPY BE AVOIDED?

This x-ray, taken in 2008, shows a tooth which had a root canal therapy in 2003. There is no sign of infection around the root canal site, or sign of bone resorption.

There have been no problems of any kind in relation to this tooth, since the root canal procedure in 2003. Biofeedback using manual muscle testing(AK, CK) as well as bio-dermal testing has demonstrated no interference fields, or other energetic disturbance as a result of this procedure.

This x ray  is objective proof that root canal therapy, when performed according to definite guidelines, can be a biologically acceptable procedure.

GUIDELINES TO BIOLOGICALLY SAFE ROOT CANAL THERAPY

1. Use of a laser to sterilize the microtubules
2. Use of calcium/zinc hydroxide as a filling material instead of gutta percha
3. Avoidance of the sealant used with gutta percha

The above are the three factors that in this author’s view make the difference between a biologically safe procedure and one that many believe to be the single most causative factor in degenerative disease.

LASER STERILIZATION-GREEN KTP LASER

A laser of 1 watt  power output, is placed inside the root canals, for one minute after the normal root canal therapy to remove the dead nerve tissue. Some dentists using this procedure recommend a KTP 532 nm (green) laser for this purpose. The laser would be used in addition to a liquid disinfectant.

A 1 watt laser would burn tissue, and so could not be used for colour healing. But inside the root canal structure, the microtubules are cauterized, and the green spectrum wavelengths from a colour therapy perspective would add another perhaps very significant element to the subtle energetic healing of the area.

AVOIDANCE OF GUTTA PERCHA AND SEALANT

Guttta percha “points” are the conventional filling material for root canal procedures.

Gutta percha is a rubber compound containing 20% heavy metals, such as mercury, cadmium and lead. Gutta percha also contains radio-opaque dyes so that it can be seen on x-rays.Tests performed by the author and Dr. Keith Maitland, Dip. ICAK, of Nooyan’s Wholistic Medical Centre, West  Burleigh, Gold Coast, Qld. Confirm that gutta percha is a bio-stressor.

The gutta percha points are inserted into the root canals, until the roots are filled. Front teeth may receive four or five of these points, while a back molar, may require up to thirty or more of the points.

According to Dr. Gamall, the sealant used after the gutta percha points are inserted into the root canal, is  the most harmful substance registered for use in the body. This sealant leads to a cellular response where the body lays down certain cells to protect itself from the sealant substance.

SAFE ALTERNATE FILLING MATERIAL

Calcium hydroxide, mixed with some zinc oxide, can be used to fill the root canals. Calcium hydroxide is anti-bacterial, and is a biologically safe substance which recalcifies bone, and has healing qualities.

Calcium hydroxide is not considered to be a permanent filling material for root canal therapy, as it can dissolve away over time. If it does dissolve away, the root canals can be refilled.

The x-ray image accompanying this article shows a tooth that was filled with calcium hydroxide, which after five years was still intact.

“Bio-calyx” is marketed as an alternate filling material to gutta percha. Bio-Calyx is calcium hydroxide with a setting agent.

Copyright: Mark Abriel, 2011