Endodontics is a specialty of dentistry focusing on the soft tissue inside the teeth (the pulp). An endodontist undergoes two and a half years of additional education and training to be the foremost experts on diseases and conditions of the pulp. The most commonly performed procedure in the category of endodontics is a root canal.
All teeth are hollow, and the hard encasement of enamel and dentin surrounds a chamber where nerves and blood vessels live. These nerves and blood vessels make up the pulp tissue, which is the focus of endodontics. Because infections inside the pulp can easily and quickly spread into the tissues surrounding the root of a tooth, endodontists are responsible for treating dental infections in order to enable someone to keep the infected tooth.
In addition to root canals, endodontists perform a variety of dental procedures to help a patient keep a tooth with a pulpal problem. This includes treatments to help a developing tooth finish its formation despite an injury or infection and surgeries to eliminate persistent infections around a tooth’s root.
Becoming an Endodontist The endodontic specialty is a part of dentistry that is more challenging than most other specialties. The biggest reason is that Endodontists deal with emergencies of pulpal diseases and dental pain inside the tooth. Patients are referred to the Endodontist for tooth pain, so time is of the essence to find the
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Many people fear root canals because they do not understand exactly what they are. Root canal treatments are essential dental procedures that are necessary to prevent the dangerous spread of infection and save your tooth. In this article, we’ll explain what a root canal is and how we classify it. What is a Root Canal?
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The word apicoectomy may sound like a foreign language to many of you. This dental procedure is not as common as most others, which is why you may not have heard of it. If you find yourself in need of one, there are several things you will want to know. What is an Apicoectomy? An apicoectomy
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Some people hear the phrase “root canal” and shiver in fear. This common endodontic procedure has an unfairly bad reputation. Most people who fear them have never had one, so they are not reacting from experience, but from hearsay. Today, root canal treatments can be completely comfortable, and one of the ways we ensure patients’
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What is a Cone Beam, and Why Do I Need it for a Root Canal? Advances in technology make dentistry better. One of the important advances in imaging is the use of cone beam computed tomography, or CBCT. We also call it a “cone beam” image. CBCT images provide great advantages during a root canal treatment,
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People suffering from chronic sinus infections or inflammation are surprised to hear from a doctor or dentist that it could be related to their teeth. Both dental infections and dental treatments can affect the sinus cavities on certain teeth. We’ll explain that relationship here. How are the Teeth Related to the Sinuses? In general, the
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Why Does a Tooth with a Root Canal also Need a Crown? This question sometimes follows surprise expressed by patients who have recently undergone root canal treatment on a tooth. This is especially common when one doctor, a specialist called an endodontist, performs the root canal, and the patient returns to the general dentist for
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Is There Any Truth to Root Canals Causing Cancer? In the age of the internet, you can find misinformation everywhere. One of the topics with some popularity online is the claim that root canals can cause cancer. This is a dangerous myth because it could lead some people to put off essential endodontic dental care,
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Why Does My Tooth Hurt After a Root Canal? One of the most important factors in having a great dental experience is having the appropriate expectations. That’s why, at Empire Dental Specialty Group, we are committed to providing you with accurate, helpful information about your procedure! There are many myths surrounding the dental procedure known
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One of the worst “surprises” a patient can receive during a root canal is the diagnosis of a root fracture. What is a Root Fracture? There are different types of root fractures, and they are all bad news. A crack or fracture of the root of a tooth can occur as the result of an
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