We all may be familiar with many dental procedures, but there is more to dentistry than what meets the eye. There is a whole separate branch of dentistry practice known as endodontic practice. So if you have no idea what an endodontist does and are planning to have a procedure that falls under the category – now is an excellent time to learn what the field is about.
Many dentist patients now understand the difference between endodontics. After all, knowing more about the field of expertise and the procedure will help overcome any anxiety you may have and ensure a successful outcome.
So let’s find out what an endodontist does primarily and what procedures fit under the category.
Who Is an Endodontist and What Do They Do?
The main difference between a regular dentist and an endodontist is that an endodontist covers an additional two years of dental school training, unlike a regular dentist. This particular advancement of expertise allows them to focus on the internal mechanisms of our tooth-like tooth pain, nerves, root canal, and similar procedures about our tooth interiors.
On the usual occasion of tooth pain, you may visit your family dentist. While a regular dentist is perfectly capable of diagnosing the issue causing the pain – an endodontist is a specialist who will cater to you for treatment. Your dentist may already have the specialization or refer to you as an in-house specialist to conduct specialized treatment procedures.
5 Common Procedures an Endodontist Performs
The following list below is of the names of the five most common procedures that fall in the category of endodontics. You can fully expect a specialist endodontist to cater to your needs in case of treatment or requirement of a procedure:
- Root Canal
Endodontics is a field specializing in root annals. So it is a given fact that the root canal procedure falls into this category. Understandably, root canals are overwhelming. As the purpose of the therapy is to save your natural tooth, relieve pain-causing symptoms and avoid implants altogether, patients often find themselves second-guessing whether to go ahead with the procedure or not. However, it is right up the alley of an endodontist who shall complete the procedure with utmost care and expertise.
- Follow-Up Procedures
Most cases resulting in a root canal are relieved and solved after taking the procedure. However, sometimes complications can occur after a root canal, causing sensory and sensitivity issues leading up to causing nerve pain. That is also when an endodontist would step in to diagnose the problem and consequently suggest a follow-up procedure to solve the problem once and for all. However, the exact treatment may differ from case to case, and it also depends on what your endodontist thinks would work best for you.
- Apicoectomy or Endodontic Surgery
In technical terms, known as an Apicoectomy, it is endodontic surgery that is performed when an endodontist has no choice but to turn to surgery in case of a severe tooth infection penetrating deep in the bone. The procedure involves the endodontist reaching the infection through gum tissue via a surgical incision. The procedure is considered minor surgery, and you may even have to take local anesthesia or numbing agents to get through it. Safe to say, a reliable endodontist will know what they are doing.
- Tooth Fractures, Cracked Tooth
While a broken tooth is easily extractable, a fractured or cracked tooth is more tedious. Therefore, the removal and treatment procedure falls under the endodontics category. In cases where the fracture or crack has caused a more prominent or deeper space in the gums, it can become a great source of discomfort and pain. Hence, the soft gum tissues need to be healed and treated accordingly before placing a tooth cap. An endodontist will relieve pain symptoms and take appropriate measures to restore standard functionality.
- Treatment for Tooth Injury
Suffering a traumatic injury to your jaw bone, teeth alignment, or other dental areas can cause severe pain and discomfort. An endodontist is perfectly capable of diagnosing the underlying cause of pain and treating it accordingly. Different procedures may vary from case to case. So you need a reliable expert endodontist to determine which procedure should be conducted to help alleviate the pain. However, in an emergency, seek any dentist instead of waiting for an endodontist near me.
Talk to Us at Long Island Endodontics
Are you looking for an endodontist near me? Our team at Endodontics Long Island is dedicated to providing quality, pain-free care in a comfortable and caring setting. When you trust your care to a board-certified Endodontist, you can be confident that you are getting the highest standard of service.
From traditional endodontist treatments to new and improved state-of-the-art procedures – we’ve got it all. Are you having tooth pain? Contact us today!