A Close-Up Look Into the Procedures an Endodontist Performs

Dentistry has evolved so much over the decades. No longer are extractions the go-to dental treatment option. Now, you are spoiled for choice. You can get preventive care, restorative care, and even revamp your smile through cosmetic dentistry.

The tricky part about having all these branches of dentistry is figuring out who is the best specialist to deal with your issue. Currently, there are many options when it comes to repairing teeth. However, only an endodontist can save a tooth that is infected.

Primarily, our root canal specialist is known to deal with infected and damaged roots. However, there are other procedures that our endodontist can perform. But before we view the endodontic procedures, let’s see who an endodontist is.

Who Is an Endodontist?

An endodontist is a dentist specializing in dealing with issues related to your tooth root and pulp. All dentists have some level of training when it comes to endodontic therapy and diagnosis. However, when the cases are complex, you will need to engage the services of our root canal specialist, who can alleviate pain and restore tooth function.

Additionally, you can expect our endodontist to perform surgery if you have a tooth that didn’t wholly heal after undergoing a root canal. Our endodontist can also perform surgeries that can extract the tip of your tooth’s roots, a procedure known as apicoectomies.

Plus, our endodontist can save a tooth that has been damaged or cracked due to injury.

Why Should You Visit Our Endodontist?

Mostly, general dentists will refer you to an endodontist whenever you have an issue with your roots or pulp. Additionally, most patients prefer seeing an endodontist instead of a general dentist because they have more experience and training.

An endodontist has an extra two years in dental school and is more conversant with the advanced technology and techniques designed to streamline the process, enhance the results, and ensure that you are comfortable.

Statistics show that the average general dentist will perform close to two root canals each week, whereas an endodontist will perform close to 25.

Endodontic Procedures

As mentioned earlier, our endodontist can perform several procedures, including:

• Root Canal Treatment

When the enamel is compromised, the roots are exposed. Therefore, there can be an inflammation or infection of your tooth roots. At times, the damage to your pulp may be because of trauma to your tooth.

So, if your tooth roots are infected, inflamed, or damaged, then you will need to undergo root canal therapy.

The procedure is pretty straightforward.

Our root canal specialist will carefully remove the infected or damaged pulp, clean, disinfect, and shape the root canal or pulp chamber. Then, use a filling to seal the root canal.

• Endodontic Retreatment

If you practice proper oral care, the saved tooth will serve you for the rest of your life. However, there’s a probability that it might not heal properly and can become painful and infected months or even years after the procedure.

If this happens, then you will need endodontic retreatment to give you a chance to save your tooth. This procedure will promote healing and alleviate discomfort.

• Endodontic Surgery

At times, the non-surgical route may not be enough to deal with the infection and save your tooth. This is when you will need advanced endodontics to help deal with the problem. Endodontic surgery is used to locate hidden canals or minor fractures that were not previously detected on X-rays.

The surgery may also be used to remove calcium deposits that are in the root canals. You may sometimes undergo this surgery to enable our endodontist to treat the damaged surrounding bone or damaged root surfaces.

The most recurrent endodontic surgery is called a root-end resection or an apicoectomy. The surgery is performed to deal with an infection or inflammation that persists around the bony area of your tooth after root canal therapy.

• Traumatic Dental Injuries

These are injuries that may occur because of a sports injury or an accident. Most of the time, these injuries may result in chipped or cracked teeth. The treatment will be hinged on the location, type, and severity of each injury. Endodontists specialize in dealing with different traumatic dental injuries.

The Takeaway

The chief goal of our endodontist is to save your natural by all means necessary. This is why several endodontic procedures are designed to save your teeth. Contact us today at George Landress, DDS, MAGD, and we will love to help you.