What is an Endodontist and what do they do?
Endodontists are dentists who specialize in maintaining teeth through endodontic therapy -- procedures, involving the soft inner tissue of the teeth, called the pulp. The word "endodontic" comes from "endo" meaning inside and "odont" meaning tooth. Like many medical terms, it's Greek. All dentists are trained in diagnosis and endodontic therapy, however, some teeth can be especially difficult to diagnose and treat. That’s why you may have been referred to an endodontic specialist.
In addition to dental school, endodontists receive two or more years of advanced education in this kind of treatment. They study root canal techniques and procedures in greater depth, for diagnosis and treatment of more difficult cases. For this reason, many dentists choose to refer their patients to endodontists.
What Happens During Endodontic Treatment? or What is a Root Canal?
A local anesthetic will be given. A sheet of latex called a "rubber dam" (there are nonlatex ones as well) will be placed around the tooth to isolate it. This keeps the tooth clean and dry during treatment and prevents instrument and irrigants from affecting other areas of your mouth. The treatment consists of three or four basic steps, but the number of visits will depend on your particular case. Some treatments take two visits but many are just a single visit. Occasionally three appointments are needed.
In any case, it depends on the degree of infection/inflammation and degree of treatment difficulty. To me, it's more important to do it the very best we can then to meet a specific time criteria.
Diagnoses and Treats 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 a specialist in diagnosing and treating this type of pain. One large advantage to the surgical microscope is the ability to detect the presence and extent of fractures in a tooth. If a fracture is detected, Dr. Rose will review the treatment options with you prior to proceeding with final treatment.
Treats Traumatic Injuries
Pulp damage is sometimes caused by a blow to the mouth, and the endodontist specializes in treating these traumatic injuries. For example, a blow to a child's permanent tooth that is not fully developed can cause the root to stop growing. A procedure called apexification stimulates bone to be deposited at the end of the root which makes it possible to then save the tooth through a root canal procedure. An endodontist is specially trained in procedures for replanting teeth that have been knocked out of their sockets.
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. We will schedule recall appointments as needed. Since an abscess may take two years to heal, our office may continue to observe the tooth for at least two years.