An endodontist is a dental expert whose specialty lies in endodontic therapy as a method of tooth maintenance. This is a field of dentistry that involves inner teeth tissue known as the pulp. The term, endodontic, is actually a combination of two Greek terms - "endo," which means inside, and "odont" which means "tooth." All dentists can provide endodontic therapy, but there are cases that are unusually hard to treat. That's why you were told to see an endodontist.

 

Aside from dental school, endodontists also complete two extra years of specialist education in this brand of dentistry. They focus on root canal techniques and procedures that are more complicated than usual. Hence, a general dentist from the Gainesville dental office may refer a patient to an endodontist.

 

So what really happens when you have endodontic treatment or simply, a root canal? First, you will be given a local anesthetic. The problematic tooth will then be covered around the sides with a sheet of latex, isolating it and keeping it clean and dry during the entire duration of the treatment. The therapy involves three or four steps, and you may have to come back for repeat visits, depending on how complex your case is. There are some treatments that need at least two visits, but most will be done with just one. In rarer instances, thee appointments may be necessary.

 

Aside from this, an endodontist also diagnoses and treats pain that involves oral structures. It can be difficult to know the source of oral pain. The mouth has a huge network of nerves, and pain caused by a particular diseased or damaged tooth can be perceived as coming from another tooth, or even as headaches or ear or neck pains. An endodontist is a Gainesville general dentist who can identify the real source of the pain and why there is pain, as well as treat it.

 

Additionally, an endodontic pain treats traumatic injuries. Sometimes, the cause of pulp damage is a sudden force to the mouth. A child, for example, may get a sudden blow to a growing permanent tooth, and when this happens, the root may stop growing altogether. Apexification is a procedure an endodontist performs to deposit bone at the root's end, allowing the tooth to be saved via a root canal. Also, an endodontist has special training and experience in replanting teeth that have been unnaturally supplanted from their sockets.