What Is An Endodontist?
An endodontist is a dentist who has received an additional two to three years of specialized training in the diagnosis and treatment of problems associated with the tooth pulp, which is the soft tissue located inside the root canal. Endodontists are the specialists when it comes to saving natural teeth through surgical and non-surgical root canal procedures. They are able to treat difficult cases including abscessed teeth and teeth with narrow or blocked canals. Find an Endodontist
Virtual Emergency Consultation BOOK NOW
(Available in Florida and Texas Only)
Types of Endodontic Services
- Root Canal Therapy: Root canal therapy is used to repair a tooth that has been damaged from either an injury or from decay. Learn more about root canals
- Root Canal Retreatment: In rare cases, a tooth may not heal properly after a root canal. This can happen for a variety of reasons, including a delay in the placement of a crown or restoration after the procedure. If you need root canal retreatment, your dentist or endodontist will reopen the tooth, remove any infection, and then seal it again.
- Apicoectomy: An apicoectomy is a form of root canal surgery. It involves a root-end resection that may be needed when inflammation or infection continues in the bony area around the end of your tooth after a root canal procedure. The endodontist will open the gum tissue to remove any infected tissue at the tip of the root. The endodontist may place a small filling in the root to seal it.
- Apexification: The tip of the tooth root is called the apex. Because children’s permanent teeth are still developing, the apex is still open. As the tooth matures, the apex will close. However, an injury can cause the apex to remain open, which can lead to an infection of the pulp inside the tooth. Apexification is used in conjunction with root canal treatment and creates a barrier at the tip of the root.
- Apexogenesis: If a child’s permanent tooth is injured, an apexogensis procedure can help the tooth continue growing while the pulp inside the root canal heals. If apexogenesis is successful, the tip of the tooth roots will close correctly as the tooth matures. If the procedure is not successful, apexification may be necessary
- Endodontic Surgery: Your endodontist may need to perform a surgical procedure in order to find hidden root canals, treat damaged root surfaces, remove calcium deposits in root canals, or address problems with the tip of the root. An apicoectomy is an example of a surgical procedure.
- Dental Implants: If your tooth cannot be saved and needs to be extracted, then you may want to consider a long-lasting dental implant to replace it. Learn more about dental implants
- Perforation Repair: A perforation is a hole in the tooth, most often found in the root structure. It can occur naturally or it can be caused by the necessity of removing excessive tooth structure to eliminate decay while preparing for a root canal. Repairing the perforation and then continuing with root canal therapy can often save the tooth.