Endodontics is a dental specialty that involves treatment of the inside of the tooth, known as the dental pulp. The pulp contains blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue to help form the outside of the tooth. Endodontic procedures are often needed when the pulp of the tooth becomes infected or inflamed, usually as a result of decay, repeated dental procedures or a crack or chip in the tooth.
Common types of endodontic procedures include:
- Root Canal – The most common endodontic procedure is a root canal, which can diagnose and treat damage in the dental pulp.
- Apicoectomy – Also known as root end resection, apicoectomy involves the removal of infected tissue and the end of the root.
Other types of endodontic procedures may be performed to treat more severe cases of pulp damage that have not responded to or recurred after initial treatment. A dentist will decide which procedure is right for each patient after a thorough evaluation of their condition.
Endodontics
Endodontics is a dentistry specialty that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of problems inside the teeth, including the soft tissue known as dental pulp. The most common endodontic procedure is the root canal, however, endodontists also perform procedures to correct cracked and split teeth, re-treat previous procedures that have not healed properly, and diagnose oral and facial pain.
Endodontic Procedures
Root canals are performed to save a tooth when the pulp becomes inflamed or infected due to decay. The infection may also be caused by repeated dental procedures on the tooth, cracks and chips in the tooth, or other injuries.
Endodontic procedures include additional dental treatments such as:
- Diagnosis of fractures that are too small to appear on X-rays
- Cleaning and sealing of calcified teeth
- Extraction and replacement of damaged teeth
- Apicoectomy, the removal or repair of the tip of the dental root
A dentist will decide which procedure is right for each patient after a thorough evaluation of their condition.