What is an Endodontist?

Endodontists are dentists who have received at least two years additional post-graduate training devoted entirely to endodontics, facets of which include diverse biological sciences, diagnosis of pain of dental origin, treatment of diseased dental pulps in order to retain otherwise hopeless teeth and surgery to correct or repair problems associated with the tooth roots and adjacent bone, which is not amenable to conventional non-surgical endodontic therapy.  The word "endodontic" derives its origin from the Greek "endo" meaning inside and "odont" meaning tooth.  The term Endodontist, therefore, means literally a dental specialist who works inside the tooth.  The field of endodontics has been greatly enhanced in recent years by the adaptation of the surgical operating microscope to endodontics, which is also utilized by other branches of medicine such as neurosurgery and ophthalmology.  Hence, the terms micro-endodontics and micro-surgery.

Root Canal Therapy

Endodontic treatment or root canal therapy is performed when the inner tissue of the tooth, the pulp, has been damaged, usually through decay or physical trauma. Treatment consists of removing the pulp and cleaning, shaping, sterilizing and filling the root canal space. The outer tooth remains alive, nourished by the adjacent tissues of the gums and jaw. 

Endodontic Retreatment and Surgery

Occasionally a tooth that has undergone endodontic, treatment fails to heal or pain continues despite therapy. Although rare, sometimes a tooth initially responds to root canal therapy but becomes painful or diseased months or years later. When either of these situations occur, the tooth often can be maintained with a revision of the primary endodontic treatment.  This can be accomplished by a non-surgical approach or by a surgical approach.  The non-surgical retreatment is accomplished in a similar manner in which the primary root canal was conducted while the surgical retreatment is accomplished by accessing the end of the root and working backwards.

Diagnosis of Dental Pain

Oral pain such as toothaches or cracked / fractured teeth can often be difficult to pinpoint.  Because of the vast network of nerves in the mouth, the pain of a damaged or diseased tooth often is felt in another tooth and/or in the head, neck, or ear. An endodontist is specialized in diagnosing and treating this type of pain.

Treatment of Traumatic Injuries

An endodontist specializes in treating  traumatic dental injuries that may damage the dental pulp. A vast array of procedures may be necessary in the minutes to years following a dental trauma, and an endodontist is trained to handle these situations. 

Will I need to return to your office for Additional Visits?

Once endodontic therapy is completed your tooth should be examined periodically, usually every 6 - 12 months.  This allows us to make sure the tooth has healed or is healing properly.  You will be sent a notice in the mail when we feel it is appropriate to reevaluate the area.  Since an abscess may take 2 years to heal, our office will reevaluate the tooth for at least 2 years.