WHEN YOU NEED a superhero who can save your tooth, what type of dentist should you call? Orthodontists can help fix crooked teeth and pediatric dentists are great at working with kids. Periodontists can help with gum disease and prosthodontics can create excellent false teeth. The ones who can save a tooth so that it doesn’t have to be pulled are the endodontists.
Training to Become a Tooth-Saving Hero
To become an endodontist, you have to go through all the same schooling as a regular dentist (including getting a bachelor’s degree, passing the Dental Admission Test, and earning a doctoral degree in Dental Surgery or Dental Medicine). Once an aspiring endodontist is licensed to practice dentistry, they must complete years of endodontic specialty training through a residency program and become certified. Only 3% of dentists complete this extra training.
The Duties of an Endodontist
Endodontics exists as a dental specialty to focus on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases and injuries of the dental pulp inside of teeth. An endodontist will also examine the patient’s gums and other tissues that impact the health and performance of their teeth.
Endodontists offer a variety of treatments, including:
- Basic root canal treatment
- Removing and replacing infected dental tissues and pulp
- Examining, tracking, and diagnosing diseases in the gum tissue and dental roots
- Probing the gum pockets around the teeth to diagnose, treat, and prevent gingivitis and periodontitis
Many endodontists also offer endodontic retreatment:
Working in Small Spaces Is the Endodontist’s Superpower
A tooth is already a pretty small object, so the canals within the roots are even smaller. In fact, they’re smaller than Roosevelt’s ear on the dime. That’s how small of a space endodontists have to work within to save teeth. It takes years of training, education, and experience, as well as steady hands and a lot of high-tech equipment such as operating microscopes.
The Endodontist Saves Another Tooth!
The endodontist is definitely the best person to see if you have a tooth that needs saving. It might seem like less of a hassle to simply get the tooth pulled and replace it with a false one, but no dental implant has yet been made that can do a better job of being a tooth than your natural tooth. Don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment if you have a problem tooth.