What are the Different Types of Endodontic Treatments?
What is Endodontics?
Endodontics is the branch or unit of dentistry that deals with the soft tissues of the teeth. The treatment involves treating diseases and infections associated with the dental pulp. Your dental pulp is the innermost part of the tooth that consists of nerve endings and blood vessels. It’s protected by the dentin layer and the outermost layer called the enamel.
However, when you develop a cavity that goes to your pulp, it exposes your tooth to infections and the extreme cold and hot temperatures of food. The doctors who handle these kinds of treatments are called endodontists. These oral specialists use advanced techniques and equipment to diagnose and treat complex causes of dental pain and repair damaged intrinsic tissues inside a tooth.
What are the Common Endodontic Procedures?
Here are examples of endodontic treatment procedures that are offered to dental patients:
1) Root Canal
A root canal is a straightforward procedure done to save a tooth whose roots are inflamed or severely infected. It involves creating an access hole to the tooth’s pulp cavity and then cleaning, disinfecting, and removing the infected pulp tissue before placing a filling material to seal the treated space.
2) Endodontic Retreatment
Maintaining a proper oral care routine after a root canal procedure will help promote faster healing and restoration of the treated tooth. However, at times the procedure ends up not being a success causing the treated tooth to heal improperly and become painful or diseased some weeks or months after the treatment.
In such case scenarios, our dentist in Huntington will suggest endodontic retreatment to try and save the tooth for the second time. The retreatment procedure raises the odds of successfully diminishing tooth pain and discomfort as well as promoting proper healing.
3) Endodontic Surgery
Endodontic surgery is a procedure done by endodontists in an effort to save a tooth that a root canal procedure cannot fix. An apicoectomy is the most popular endodontic surgery procedure. It is usually recommended when one develops infection or inflammation near or in the roots of a tooth following a root canal. During this procedure, the endodontist will make an incision in your gum tissue to create an access route in order to treat and remove the infected or inflamed tissue.
An apicoectomy may also be done on a dental patient who continually reports experiencing oral pain, but the cause of the pain is not detected when an oral exam and X-ray are done. An incision is done so that the tooth can be examined fully to find the problem cause and provide necessary treatment.
4) Traumatic Oral Injuries
Sports injuries, sudden falls, or automobile accidents are the main causes of traumatic oral injuries. Although in most cases, the oral injuries sustained are usually minor, like chipping a tooth, sometimes, the results can be grave, leading to a dislodged tooth or, worse, a completely knocked-out tooth.
Regardless of the severity of your injuries, you will need immediate dental attention and examination either from an endodontist or an emergency dentist. The thorough oral exam will allow dental health experts to assess your oral condition and detect additional unnoticed injuries to neighboring teeth before the appropriate treatment is recommended.
Seeing an expert will not only raise the chances of saving your tooth but also ensure that you do not suffer extensive damage to surrounding oral tissues.
What are the Reasons to Get Endodontic Treatments?
The chances of successfully treating oral issues are usually higher when identified early. Since the first sign of most dental problems will manifest as unexplained sudden oral pain, it is important to get an evaluation from an endodontist or a dentist near you as soon as possible when you notice such abnormalities. Dental experts widely recommend this because oral conditions such as a dental abscess pose a serious risk to your overall body health if they go untreated for a long.
Other reasons that may call for a visit to the office of our Huntington endodontist are:
- Inflammation or swelling of the gums or affected teeth
- Teeth sensitivity to cold, hot, or sweet foods
- An unexplained jaw or oral pain
- A lingering dental pain
Visit an Endodontist Near You
If you are looking for endodontics near Huntington Station? Give us a call or book an appointment with our trusted endodontist in Huntington, NY at Smile Huntington for affordable and quality oral healthcare services.