Endodontists are dentists who specialize in maintaining teeth through root canal therapy. These procedures involve the tissues of the inside of teeth (called the 'dental pulp') as well as the surrounding tissues of the root.  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.  This is why you may have been referred to an endodontic specialist.

In addition to four to five years of dental school, endodontists receive two to three years of advanced education in this type of treatment. They study root canal techniques and procedures in greater depth in order to diagnosis and treat more difficult cases.

Local anesthetic will be given.  A sheet of latex called the "rubber dam" (non-latex rubber dams are also available) will be placed around the tooth to isolate it, keeping it clean and dry during treatment.  The treatment consists of a few basic steps where the tooth is cleaned, disinfected, dried, and a filling is placed that extends the full length of the root. Quite often the tooth will be temporized after your treatment, allowing your family dentist the opportunity to place the final filling.

The number of visits will depend on your particular case.  Many times only one visit is required however there are instances where two or even three visits are needed to complete treatment. The number of appointments required depends on the degree of infection/inflammation and complexity of the treatment.  Quality of treatment will always be given the utmost priority.

There are no guarantees, however root canal (endodontic) therapy has a very high degree of success.  Teeth which can be treated near ideal have a success rate of over ninety percent!  We will discuss with you the chances of success before any endodontic procedure as there are many determining factors to help you make an informed decision. If a root canal is unsuccessful or fails you still have 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.

Endodontists Treat Traumatic Injuries

Pulp damage is sometimes caused by trauma to the mouth, and the endodontist specializes in treating these types of 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. There are even cases where we can regenerate pulp tissue that has become necrotic, this will allow an immature root to continue to form.  An endodontist is also specially trained in procedures for replanting teeth that have been knocked out of their sockets.

Once endodontic therapy is completed, your tooth should be examined periodically, the time between appointments is variable.  This allows us to ensure that the tooth has healed or is healing properly.  This re-assessment may be done by the referring dentist, or you may be asked to return to our office for direct evaluation.  Since an abscess may take 2 or more years to heal, the tooth should be re-evaluated for at least a few years after treatment.

Occasionally a tooth that has undergone endodontic treatment fails to heal. 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.

Root end surgery (historically called apicoectomy), involves treating the root end and tissues around the root through an incision in the gum.