Endodontists Are Root Canal Treatment Specialists

An endodontist is a dentist with two extra years of specialized training focused on diagnosing and treating pulp issues. The term “pulp” refers to the blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissues housed inside a tooth’s pulp chamber.

Endodontists spend most of their time performing root canal therapy. Also called endodontic therapy, the procedure is used to save severely cracked, decayed, or damaged teeth. Damage to a tooth typically requires root canal treatment when it reaches the pulp chamber.

The pulp chamber is the innermost layer of the tooth, and it is protected by two layers: the dentin and enamel. Damage that only affects the enamel or dentin typically does not require the tooth to get a root canal.

How an endodontist saves teeth with root canal treatment

Root canal treatment involves removing the soft tissues in a tooth. A tooth’s nerves and blood vessels are not essential once it has fully developed. A tooth can get all the nutrients that it needs from surrounding blood vessels. Removing the pulp protects the tooth against infection, and it stops any pain being caused by internal tissue damage. Common symptoms that indicate that a person needs root canal therapy include:

• Excruciating toothaches
• Increased teeth sensitivity that does not go away
• Swollen or tender lymph nodes
• A tooth that hurts when touched
• Pus building up at the tip of the infected tooth
• Pus draining into the mouth

At times, a person might have interior tissue damage without any symptoms. In such cases, X-rays are used to examine the tooth’s internal structures.

The procedure

Root canals have a bad reputation, but there is nothing to be worried about. Local anesthetics are typically used during the treatment, numbing the area being worked on. Most patients do not feel significant pain during the procedure, and the pain that brought them to the dentist is typically gone by the time that the anesthetic wears off. Here is what a root canal procedure looks like:

• The endodontist starts the treatment by injecting the tooth being treated and surrounding areas with a local anesthetic
• Dental dams are placed around the tooth to isolate it and to prevent saliva from getting to it during the procedure
• A dental drill is used to make an opening from the top of the tooth to its pulp chamber
• Files are inserted into the hole and used to remove the pulp
• The pulp chamber is cleaned and medication is pushed into it
• A biocompatible material called gutta-percha is used to seal the tooth
• The endodontist places a crown on the tooth to protect it from further damage