What is a Tooth Lesion?

Dental lesions are conditions that occur as a result of deterioration or differences in the surrounding parts of the teeth. It is a common problem among dental problems. The causes of this condition include tooth decay, inflammation or some trauma. It is observed that it develops especially as a result of inflammation and causes serious complaints in patients. It is among the oral and dental problems that need to be treated. If left untreated, it can lead to serious complications and undesirable situations such as tooth loss can be encountered.

Lesions can also be referred to as cysts that appear in the tooth root. They can develop as a result of tissue damage in the tooth roots. Lesions can be divided into 2 types: acute or chronic. While acute lesions can cause pain in people, chronic lesions can continue for a long time without showing any symptoms. Chronic conditions can often be detected during routine dental checkups or imaging.

What are the Symptoms of Tooth Lesion?

Symptoms of a tooth lesion can vary from person to person. When a tooth lesion develops, there are usually not many symptoms and signs. However, the most common symptom is tooth pain.
The intensity of the pain may be different in each case. In some cases, the pain can be unbearable, while in others it can be felt as a slight pressure without any symptoms.
Lesions are usually detected during routine dental examinations or when the dentist uses different imaging techniques such as radiography. The pain in the area where the lesions develop may be less or more severe, depending on the patient's pain threshold. 
Swelling of the gums may occur after the lesion develops. In some cases, the swelling may be large enough for the patient to notice. In some cases, it may be small enough to be noticed by the dentist. For this reason, it is important to have routine dental check-ups at regular intervals.

How Tooth Lesion Occurs

There are three factors that should be considered in the development and formation of dental lesions. These factors are as follows;

• Caries
• Inflammation
• Trauma

The causes of tooth lesions, which can develop on the gums and roots of the teeth, often include poor oral and dental hygiene and poor hygiene conditions. When lesions develop, they often attach to the gums and over time become plaque, leading to an increase in bacteria. 
Such situations cause bleeding gums. These are problems that may require early intervention. If left untreated, it can cause tooth decay, gum recession or tooth loss. 
Caries is the determining factor in lesions that develop in the tooth canal. In such cases, the point to be considered is the extent to which the deterioration damages the pulp. Lesions that progress to the pulp, also known as tooth pulp, can cause severe pain and make intervention in this area difficult.
Lesion formation can be seen as a result of some traumatic events. In addition, situations such as clenching, grinding or chewing too much at night are effective in the development of this problem.

How to Treat a Tooth Lesion

Treatment of tooth lesions is performed by dental specialists. Early detection of tooth lesions accelerates the healing process. For this reason, routine check-ups should be made with dentists. The patient is examined by the dentist. During the examination, the lesion on the tooth can be detected or different imaging techniques can be used to clarify this situation. 
Root canal treatment is usually applied as a result of the detection of the lesion in the tooth. As a result of root canal treatment, the lesion is usually eliminated and the treatment is successful. However, in some cases, the lesions may have progressed to the tooth roots and damaged the pulp. In such cases, different treatment methods can be applied.
In such cases, both root canal treatment and root tip treatments called apical resection can be applied. With these methods, it may be possible to repair and treat the problem area. However, apical resection is only applied to the front teeth. Extraction treatment is usually applied on the back teeth. 
It is important to treat the lesions. In the following periods, it may cause different problems in the oral and dental structure and may negatively affect the daily life of the person. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment is important.

Can a tooth with lesions be extracted?

Tooth extraction is usually the last procedure and treatment preferred by dentists. If the lesioned tooth can be repaired or saved, other treatment methods such as root canal treatment or root tip treatment can be applied to improve the condition.
Root canal treatment is usually seen as a stand-alone solution. However, in some cases, root tip treatment called apical resection may need to be performed in addition to root canal treatment. This application is a surgical procedure for infections that occur in the tooth root. 
If it is not deemed necessary, a tooth, even if it is problematic, is not extracted; it is tried to be repaired and saved. In case of a tooth lesion, the dentist should decide whether or not to perform tooth extraction. In this process, treatment options are first evaluated and the problems in the tooth are tried to be eliminated. However, if deemed necessary, the lesioned tooth can be extracted.