When is Endodontic Treatment Recommended?

Endodontists are the dental specialists who focus on diseases and treatments of the tooth’s inner structures. Endodontists are primarily concerned with the dental pulp, the soft tissue found in the center of the tooth.

The dental pulp also contains the tooth’s nerve core, which means that damage to the pulp is often associated with dental pain.

Advanced decay that has reached the dental pulp or a dental trauma that exposes the pulp to the inner mouth can introduce harmful bacteria that put the tooth at risk for infection or abscesses. When left untreated, the bacteria can eventually destroy the tooth from the inside out.

DFW endodontists can intervene to address a variety of problems, such as dental pain, discoloration or dislodged or cracked teeth. The endodontic procedure most familiar to many patients is the root canal, a valuable procedure that can help preserve a patient’s natural tooth in the face of significant damage.

In performing a root canal, endodontists will clean out the pulp chamber, removing damaged and infected tissue. After the chamber has been thoroughly sanitized, it is then filled with an inert rubber-like substance.

For the best outcomes, patients will be fitted with a dental crown following a root canal in order to further protect the targeted tooth.

Although the root canal has negative connotations for most patients, rest assured that your endodontist will take steps to ensure your comfort during the procedure. In fact, you’ll experience no more discomfort than you would when having a cavity filled.

The instruments and techniques used in modern-day practices are vast improvements on those used in decades past. Endodontists also receive extensive training in root canals, completing a post-graduate residency that gives them the opportunity to perform the procedure numerous times.

In addition to root canals, endodontists may provide other treatments such as an apicoectomy, in which the end of the root is surgically removed, in patients whose root canals were not effective.

If your general dentist has recommended a root canal, schedule a consultation with an experienced endodontist serving DFW to learn more about the procedure.