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.
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.
Root End Surgery (Apicoectomy)
There are some cases in which the infection at the end of your tooth cannot be resolved by going through the top of the tooth. In these situations, The root end and infection is removed through a small incision made in your gums.
Following the procedure, there may be some discomfort, slight swelling, and/or bruising while the incision heals. As with any surgical procedure, this is normal. To alleviate any discomfort, an appropriate pain medication will be recommended.
How many visits will my treatment take?
The number of visits will depend on your particular case. Some treatments take 2 visits but many are just a single visit. Rarely 3 appointments are needed. The number of appointments depends on the degree of infection/ inflammation and degree of treatment difficulty. We believe that it is more important to provide you with the best treatment rather than trying to meet a specific time criteria.
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 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.