Who can perform endodontic treatments?
Endodontists are dentists who further their training and acquire the skills to perform complex root canal treatments. After graduating from dental school, they study a few more years in order to become specialists. Once they receive their certification, they will most often only provide endodontic treatments to their patients.
Endodontists can perform simple, difficult and complex root canal treatments.
All dentists can perform root canal treatments but when facing a challenging case they will refer their patients to an endodontist.
What is an endodontic treatment?
The word “endodontic” has a greek etymology and refers to the words “inside” and “tooth”. A root canal treatment is done to heal a tooth from within. It is inside of the tooth, underneath the hard surfaces called enamel and dentin that we find the pulp, a soft tissue containing blood vessels, nerve endings and connective tissue.
A root canal treatment is necessary when the pulp becomes inflamed or infected due to a trauma, deep caries or repeated fillings. Sometimes a tooth can show no signs of fracture or damage from the outside after being struck, but reveal something different on the inside when the pulp is exposed.
If the inflammation or infection of the pulp is left untreated, it can provoke pain or lead to an abscess. Signs of pulp disease include sensitivity when in contact of hot and/or cold, tooth discoloration, swelling and pain on the gums.
The different steps of an endodontic treatment
Most often, a root canal treatment can be completed in or two sessions and consists of the following steps:
The endodontist examines and takes an x-ray of the tooth and proceeds with the injection of a local anesthetic.
When the tooth is numb, the endodontist places a rubber dam around it to isolate it and keep the saliva and moisture out of the way.
Then, an access opening is done at the crown of the tooth in order to access the pulp chamber and have the infected tissue completely removed with very small instruments. The inside of the tooth and every single root is cleaned, disinfected, and later sealed with a special material commonly called “gutta percha”. This is done to restore the tooth to its normal function after this irreversible treatment.
A temporary filling will be placed to protect the tooth before your next visit to your dentist’s office, where it will be replaced by a permanent filling or a crown.