| The three main root end tooth infections are | | | | with dense bone in order to contain its |
| called granulomas,cysts and condensing osteitis. | | | | effects.However, the tissue as the root end was |
| Granulomas and cysts, though they appear to be | | | | incapable of controlling the bacterial growth |
| quite similar, have distinctly different | | | | in these cases and consequently some bacteria |
| characteristics.Fistulas are channels that carry pus | | | | escaped through the bloodstream and set up |
| from the | | | | diseases in other areas.Dr. Price also noted the teeth |
| infection area to the outside of the face or | | | | of such patients |
| mouth. They help the body drain away excessive | | | | became more tender and painful than those cases |
| amounts of pus.Condensing osteitis is rarely | | | | that appeared to be more seriously involved.These |
| mentioned as a | | | | observations by Price are so diametrically |
| root end infection process, but Dr. Price | | | | opposite to the average dentist's view and |
| found its presense to be accompanied by some | | | | comprehension of what is occurring that many |
| very specific infection related reactions.Dr. Price | | | | will have difficulty accepting these findings, |
| made bacteriologic examinations of | | | | in spite of the fact they were derived from |
| three different dental infection areas. | | | | studies of 1400 patients.Numbers of case history |
| To his surprise, he found, for the most part | | | | examples were mentioned |
| that no matter how large an involved area or | | | | in this chapter to lend insight into these |
| how much pus was flowing, comparatively few | | | | different infections and their effects. Included |
| bacteria were present. He interpreted this | | | | was a picture of cancer of the lower jaw below |
| to mean the body's white blood cells and | | | | the roots of three lower front teeth which |
| other defense mechanisms had good control of | | | | appear to be a typical dental infection.Such examples |
| the infection process present.Furthermore, in such | | | | were shown to emphasize there are |
| cases he found patients | | | | other dental disease conditions than those |
| to be in relatively good overall health and | | | | mentioned, but they represent a much smaller |
| that they did not exhibit the expected signs | | | | proportion of cases and are not indicative of |
| and symptoms of systemic illness.Dr. Price reasoned | | | | the average person's experience.About author: |
| that the large areas of | | | | Dr. George Meinig,D.D.S.,F.A.C.D. is a Founder of the |
| bone destruction and pus about these infected | | | | Association of Root Canal Specialists Discovers |
| areas were not a measure of the severity of | | | | Evidence That Root Canals |
| infection, so commonly believed, but were in | | | | Damage Your Health Learn What to Do. |
| actuality expressing the goodness of the | | | | Learn how Dr. George Meinig discovered that a |
| nvolved patient's immune defense capability.He (Dr. | | | | meticulous 25 year |
| Price) further found that though the | | | | research program, conducted by Weston A. Price, |
| organisms spread locally, they did not spread | | | | DDS, under the auspices of the American Dental |
| to other parts of the body until the infection | | | | Association's Research Institute, was buried by |
| had persisted for a prolonged period of | | | | disbelievers of the focal infection theory. |
| time.Condensing osteitis cases proved to be quite | | | | Along the way, Dr. Meinig has received many |
| different. This condition exhibits a very | | | | recognition citatons and awards, both Nationally and |
| dense area of bone, sometimes with very little | | | | internationally. |
| loss of bone at the tooth's root end.Patient histories | | | | For further information: |
| and in-depth studies revealed | | | | Visit: |
| that people exhibiting condensing osteitis | | | | Edited and prepared by Sung Lee, alternate |
| suffered more serious consequences from their | | | | authorThis article can be reprinted freely online as |
| infections. Price surmised that in such a case | | | | long as the entire |
| the patient's defense system was poor and the | | | | article with resource box are included. |
| body was trying to wall off the infected area | | | | |