General Information

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.  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.

At each treatment appointment, a local anesthetic will be given for comfort.  A protective barrier (dental dam) is placed around the tooth for isolation from saliva and to prevent irrigating solutions from entering other areas of the mouth.  A bite prop is placed to keep jaw muscles relaxed, allowing the patient to rest comfortably during treatment.  Occasionally, some patients have a prominent gag or swallow reflex that is triggered during the procedure.  If this has occurred before, or is suspected to occur - the patient may benefit from use of sedative taken prior to the procedure. 

Endodontic therapy consists of locating, disinfecting, (most often) medicating, then filling the canals.  The number of visits will depend on your particular case.  A few teeth may be completed in a single appointment.  Most treatments take two visits and can be completed once it has been verified that the tooth feels comfortable.  For some teeth, more time and appointments are required for healing of bone that surrounds the roots which were eroded from infection; then treatment is finished.

The number of appointments and amount of time required for healing before treatment can be completed for best success, depends on the degree of infection/inflammation and the treatment difficulty.

Using this method, endodontic therapy has a very high degree of success - teeth treated near ideal have a success rate over ninety percent.  If factors are present that may reduce the expected chance of success, this will be discussed to help you make an informed decision.  If a tooth is unhealthy and root canal therapy is not recommended, there are alternative options.

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 canal treatment may be required for aching, lingering cold symptoms, a deep cavity (or past deep cavity), bite sensitivity with a crowned tooth, or infection (swelling, draining abscess, or found with radiograph), restorative reasons, and for other various concerns.

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. 

Once endodontic therapy is completed your tooth should be examined after one year.  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.  

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 second endodontic treatment.