What is an Endodontist Doylestown, PA | Issues an Endodontist Treats (2024)

FAQs

What exactly does an endodontist do? ›

Highly trained endodontists (dental specialists) repair tissues inside your tooth. They diagnose and treat complex causes of tooth pain, such as tooth abscesses (infection). Endodontists perform root canal treatments and other procedures to relieve pain. They work to save your natural tooth.

What procedures does an endodontist handle? You may or may not be aware that endodontists perform root canal treatments, and they handle many other endodontic treatments and surgeries, address traumatic dental injuries, and place dental implants.

Severe cavities

For larger cavities, however, a filling is not sufficient to protect the tooth. In this case, the dentist will refer the person to an endodontist. This dentist has the knowledge and training to perform a root canal. Without timely intervention, the dentist may have to extract the tooth.

Who does the procedure: A general dentist will typically cost less than an endodontist. Difficulty of the procedure: The more extensive the root canal, the higher the cost. Dental insurance coverage: Insurance can lower your out-of-pocket costs.

An emergency endodontist is indispensable when it comes to sudden dental crises. This dental care provider can treat dental pain from problems occurring inside the tooth. Seeing this type of dentist is crucial for your dental health.

Other surgeries endodontists might perform include dividing a tooth in half, repairing an injured root, or even removing one or more roots. Your endodontist will be happy to discuss the specific type of surgery your tooth requires. In certain cases, a procedure called intentional replantation may be performed.

Root canal

This is the most common endodontic procedure and is typically done to save a tooth that would otherwise need to be removed. Root canal treatment is necessary when the pulp, which is the core layer of the tooth, or the canals holding the pulp becomes inflamed or infected.

Molar root canals are usually more difficult than incisors because they have more roots and require specialized instruments to access them.

There are other things your dentist might do instead of a root canal. These can be things like pulp capping, pulpotomy, or taking the tooth out. Whether or not your dentist suggests these depends on what's going on with your tooth.

Endodontics treatment is typically needed when the tooth nerve and pulp become inflamed or infected. Root canals/Endodontics treatment are performed to save the tooth from an infection that is affecting the nerves in its root. This treatment also eliminates the pain that you have been experiencing because of infection.

Do endodontists use sedation? ›

We use inhaled sedation in conjunction with injected local anesthetic to ensure that you feel no pain during your procedure. After an endodontic procedure with inhaled sedation, you will be able to drive yourself home.

An endodontist is a dental professional who specializes in the roots of teeth. One of the most common reasons a patient might see one is for a root canal procedure. But many times, the patient's regular dentist will perform the procedure and place the crown.

In the end, it all depends on the tooth

If the tooth is in good condition after a root canal, the dentist may opt to fill it and leave it be, especially if it is a front tooth. In almost all cases, the dentist will recommend that a crown be placed on a molar whose dental pulp has been removed.

Endodontic procedures, like root canals, require high levels of skill and precision. The equipment and materials used in these procedures are also costly, contributing to the overall dental treatment cost. Secondly, the time and labor involved in dental procedures can add up.

Original Medicare^‡ Parts A and B do not cover dental care, except in certain circ*mstances. For example, if you're in the hospital for dental surgery, Part A will cover your inpatient costs. For other dental care, such as teeth cleanings and root canals, you will pay 100% of the cost.

We then clean out and disinfect the tissues inside a tooth, fill it with sterile material, and close the tooth again. A typical root canal treatment can last from 30 to 90 minutes, depending on how severe the infection is and how many roots the tooth has.

Endodontists have more experience, training, advanced technology, and are also specialists in pain management. You will then likely return to your dentist for the restorative portion of the treatment, where you receive a dental crown.

Electric Pulp Tester (EPT)

This test sends an electrical current from a small battery through the tooth. A healthy tooth nerve with feel a tingling sensation, while an unhealthy nerve may feel no sensation at all.

Root canal therapy is a routine, non-surgical procedure that treats and removes infection or inflammation in the tooth's pulp. Endodontic surgeries address infections that persist after root canal therapy involving the root's tip, where they are difficult to access.