Endodontists are dental specialists who are highly trained in diagnosing and treating tooth pain and performing root canal treatments. They focus on caring for complex dental problems that primarily affect the dental pulp (the inside of the teeth) and use advanced techniques to relieve toothache while saving your natural tooth, whenever possible. Endodontics involves the diagnosis and treatment of oral health problems related to the inside of the tooth called the pulp. This soft and sensitive internal tissue is filled with blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue.
It can become inflamed or infected due to deep tooth decay, traumatic injury to a tooth, and repeated dental work on a tooth. When that happens, an endodontist is the specialist to consult. Endodontists are dentists who specialize in saving teeth. They focus on performing root canals, while general dentists provide other dental care such as cleaning teeth, filling cavities, and placing sealants. Endodontists and general dentists often work as partners in care so that the best member of their dental team takes care of every appropriate problem with their teeth. For example, if the tooth breaks out of its cavity or falls out completely, an endodontist can put the tooth back in the socket, stabilize it, and often perform root canal treatment on it.
Endodontists can also perform root canal retreatments if a tooth becomes reinfected after an initial root canal. Endodontists are dentists who seek additional training and experience after finishing dental school. They collect all the information you need and refer you to a general dentist if needed. Discover how endodontists' advanced training, specialized techniques and superior technologies make them the best choice for root canal treatment to save your natural teeth. Your dentist wants you to receive the best treatment, so you often work with an endodontist you know and trust. For more information about root canals and other endodontic treatments, visit the patient section of the American Association of Endodontists website, which also includes information on common myths about these tooth-saving procedures.