While a dentist can perform many of the procedures that a person might visit an endodontist, or Endo Therapist, for, sometimes it makes more sense to visit a specialist. This is particularly true in the case of complicated situations where the dentist isn’t quite sure which tooth is causing the problem.
Definition and Benefits
Someone who specializes in endodontic therapy mainly deals with root canals. This is clear when the meaning of endodontic is considered, as “endo” means inside and “ondont” means tooth, so this type of specialist deals with the inside of the teeth, or the root, nerve, and pulp. An Endo Therapist, such as those found at Vistafamilydental, spends an extra two or three years studying after dental school and performs many more root canals than a regular dentist, giving an endodontist a lot more experience with the procedure. Endodontists may also have special equipment that a regular dentist couldn’t justify, but that could make the process quicker and easier.
When to Consider
People may want to visit a therapist when they have a single tooth that appears dark in colour, as this could be a sign of a dead nerve. Other signs a root canal may be necessary include pain when pressure is applied, hot and cold sensitivity that continues after the hot or cold item is gone from the mouth or swelling or a bump that looks like a pimple on the gums near the painful tooth. Fractured teeth and other traumatic injuries to the teeth could also make a visit to such a specialist necessary. A failed root canal treatment, where the pain is still there after ward, or the tooth doesn’t heal right may require a visit to an endodontist to retreat the tooth, which may require surgery.
What’s Involved
In a root canal, the dentist or specialist will give the patient an anesthetic to make the procedure painless, then open up the tooth from the top to remove all of the tissue inside the tooth to clear up any infections. A special filling will then be put in and topped with a crown to help lower the risk of future pain in that tooth.
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