An endodontist is a dentist who has additional training in diagnosing and treating issues that affect the inner part of the tooth, called the pulp. These dentists often spend most of their time performing procedures like root canals on teeth with damaged pulped chambers. A root canal involves going inside a tooth and removing soft tissues in the pulp chamber, bringing an end to the pain being caused by an infection or irritants in the mouth.
Endodontists often get a bad rap because of a common misconception that root canal therapy is extremely painful, but that is not true. Most people do not feel pain during root canals since local anesthetics are used to numb the region of the mouth being worked on.
Endodontists are like superheroes for your teeth. They often bring an end to some of the worst toothaches a person could experience. Their additional training on issues that affect the inner part of teeth makes them the most qualified type of dentist to perform root canal therapy.
Performing this procedure is one of the primary responsibilities of an endodontist. Some of the reasons why a root canal might be needed include:
Getting a root canal often starts with an endodontist talking to a patient about their symptoms and using diagnostics like X-rays to determine if the tooth can be saved with root canal therapy. Local anesthetics are injected into the region being worked on at the start of the procedure to prevent the patient from feeling pain as the dentist works. A dental drill is used to access the pulp chamber, and dental files are used to remove the soft tissues stored in there.
Once the pulp chamber has been cleaned out, disinfectants are applied to kill any bacteria there before using a rubber substance called gutta-percha to close up the tooth. A crown is usually placed on a tooth that has been repaired with a root canal to hold what’s left of it together and protect it from forces generated by teeth when chewing.
Endodontists often perform this procedure when a conventional root canal has failed to bring the expected results. The procedure is also performed when a tooth’s root is crowding into the space of another tooth. As is the case with root canals, apicoectomies are typically recommended as a last-resort treatment to save a tooth before options like extraction are recommended.
Endodontists start apicoectomies by administering local anesthetics to numb the part of the mouth being worked on. They then make an incision through the patient’s gum tissues to reach the root. A few millimeters of the tooth are taken off, as well as any infected tissues in the region. Another root canal is performed, and gum tissues are sutured to close the incision. The procedure takes anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes.
Dealing with a dental issue that affects the pulp chamber of a tooth? Call or visit our Ukiah clinic to explore treatment options with our endodontist.
Request an appointment here: https://santarosaendodontics.com or call Santa Rosa Endodontics at (707) 409-1177 for an appointment in our Ukiah office.
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