Endodontists are dentists who specialize in maintaining teeth through endodontic therapy -- procedures, involving the soft inner tissue of the teeth, called the pulp.  The word "endodontic" comes from "endo" meaning inside and "odont" meaning tooth.  Like many medical terms, it is Greek.  All dentists are trained in diagnosis and endodontic therapy; however, some teeth can be especially difficult to diagnose and treat.  That’s why you may have been referred to an endodontic specialist.

In addition to dental school, endodontists receive two or more years of advanced education in this kind of treatment. They study root canal techniques and procedures in greater depth, for diagnosis and treatment of more difficult cases. For this reason, many dentists choose to refer their patients to endodontists.

During endodontic treatment, a local anesthetic will be given.  A sheet of latex called the "rubber dam" (nonlatex also available) will be placed around the tooth to isolate it, thereby keeping it clean and dry during treatment.  The treatment consists of three or four basic steps, but the number of visits will depend on your particular case.  Some treatments may take two to three visits, but many are just a single visit.  The number of requisite visits will vary depending on the degree of infection/inflammation and degree of treatment difficulty.  The important consideration, however, is not the specific number of times necessary for treatment but rather that we provide you the utmost attention you deserve in your endodontic treatment.

Although there are no guarantees, root canal or endodontic therapy has a very high degree of success, up to 90%.  We will discuss with you in depth the chances of success before any endodontic procedure so that you may make an informed decision. 

Oral pain, such as toothaches or those caused by cracked or fractured teeth, can often be difficult to identify.  Because there is a 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. In order to receive an accurate diagnosis and trustworthy treatment, you should seek an endodontist as an endodontist is a specialist in diagnosing and treating this type of pain.

An endodontist should be sought for the treatment of certain traumatic injuries.  Pulp damage, which is sometimes caused by a blow to the mouth, should receive careful attention from an endodontist specializing in treatment these traumatic 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, making it possible to then save the tooth through a root canal procedure. An endodontist is specially trained in procedures for replanting teeth that have been knocked out of their sockets. 

Your tooth should be examined periodically, normally every 6 to 12 months, even after your endodontic therapy is completed.  This allows us to assure that the tooth has healed or is healing properly.  You will be sent a notice in the mail when we feel it is appropriate or necessary to reevaluate the area.  Since an abscess may take 2 years to heal, our office will reevaluate the tooth for at least 2 years.

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Occasionally, a tooth that has undergone endodontic treatment fails to heal or the pain persists despite therapy. In rare situations, a tooth may initially respond well to root canal therapy but become painful or diseased months or years later. When either of these situations occurs, the tooth often can be maintained with a second endodontic treatment.