Americans spend around $3 billion each year having teeth removed.
But, endodontic care is there to help save teeth that would have otherwise been removed. There are different types of endodontic care procedures; each one will work for different circumstances.
If you’re having problems with your teeth, rather than jumping straight to extraction, endodontic specialists may be able to help you out.
Read on to learn more about endodontic care and how it can help save your teeth.
What Is Endodontic Care?
Endodontics is the practice of maintaining damaged teeth rather than extracting them. All dentists train in basic endodontic therapy. However, advanced endodontics is often done by a specialist with additional training.
Two common endodontic procedures are standard practice in endodontics: root canals and apicoectomy.
So what is a root canal? Root canal treatment gets rid of bacteria from the root of a tooth. The tooth is cleaned out and then sealed up to avoid any future infections.
In the past, root canal pain could be severe. However, now a root canal treatment is comparable to a regular filling. It is relatively painless and very effective. Root canals are often the first option to save a decayed tooth.
When the damage is too bad for a root canal, an endodontist might suggest an apicoectomy.
During this procedure, the endodontist cuts into the gum tissue to expose the tooth and bone. Then the diseased areas are removed, the tooth cleaned and sealed with a root filling. The gum incision is fixed with sutures.
This procedure is done under local anesthetic, and you’ll need to return the following week to get the sutures removed and check the tooth is healing well.
What Happens at an Endodontic Appointment?
Usually, your regular dentist will refer you to a specialist if they think you fit the criteria for modern oral health care such as endodontics. If this happens for you, ask for copies of any x-rays or notes on your file that will be useful for the specialist.
They may want to repeat these x-rays, but it always helps to come prepared. The first part of any appointment will be a brief chat about your medical history, symptoms, and if you’ve had any previous trauma to the mouth.
A verbal consultation helps the specialist identify which treatment will be most appropriate. Next, they’ll do an examination and may do imaging to determine the cause of your pain.
Finally, they’ll diagnose the problem and discuss whether they can help save your tooth with endodontics or whether they think it would be better to extract it.
You may be able to get it all done on the same day, or you can return for a follow-up appointment to get the treatment. You’ll probably need a local anesthetic, so make sure you have someone to drive you home afterward.
Keep Your Natural Smile With Endodontic Care
So, that’s the basics of endodontic care and how it can help. If you were about to get a tooth removed, hopefully now you’ll reconsider. Tooth extraction isn’t always necessary.
Simply find an endodontist near you, and book an appointment to see whether they can help.
Did you find this article helpful? If so, make sure to check out our other posts for more informative articles about health, lifestyle, and more.