When you have a painful tooth or mouth, an endodontist can relieve your symptoms and save your natural tooth. They use advanced technology and a wide range of sedation options to ensure your procedure is comfortable and stress-free.

Most patients go to a general dentist for routine care and toothaches, which are best treated by a dentist. However, if you have a large chip that exposes the pulp, an endodontist may need to perform a root canal.

Root Canals

A root canal is a dental procedure that saves a tooth with inflamed or infected pulp from being extracted. During the procedure, your endodontist drills an opening in your tooth to remove nerves, blood vessels, and tissue. They then clean and disinfect your tooth canals and fill the space with a rubber-like material called gutta-percha. Afterwards, they seal your tooth with a temporary filling and crown to prevent infections.

Your general dentist can perform a root canal, but an endodontist has undergone additional training to diagnose and treat more complex cases. Some insurance policies only cover treatments performed by a dentist with advanced postgraduate education.

Root canals are usually painless, but you may feel some discomfort after the procedure. Over-the-counter pain relievers can help. You may also experience some sensitivity as the anesthesia wears off. An experienced endodontist uses modern techniques and anesthetics to make sure patients are comfortable during the procedure. They may also provide aftercare instructions to reduce the likelihood of discomfort following treatment.

Endodontic Retreatment

With proper care, teeth that have undergone endodontic treatment can last a lifetime. However, sometimes a treated tooth can heal improperly, causing pain or other symptoms months or even years after treatment. Endodontic retreatment offers a second chance to save the tooth by addressing issues that may have prevented it from healing properly in the first place.

During retreatment, your endodontist will re-open the tooth, removing the previous crown or filling material to gain access to the canals and re-clean them with specialized tools. If they discover additional canals or untreated curved or narrow canal anatomy, they will treat these areas and reshape the opening before refilling and sealing the tooth.

In many cases, endodontic retreatment is less invasive than the alternative: extracting the tooth and replacing it with an artificial one. This can help preserve your natural tooth structure, which is preferable for bite and jawbone health. It can also reduce the risk of infection and other complications down the road.

Cracked Teeth

Inside your tooth is a pulp made up of blood vessels, nerves, and cells that help it grow early on and stay healthy as you get older. Cracks expose this area to more stress and strain, which can lead to pain when you chew or bite. They also make it vulnerable to bacterial invasion, which can cause infection and other problems.

When you have a cracked tooth, it is essential to see an endodontist for evaluation and treatment. To determine the extent of the crack, your endodontist will perform a tactile assessment and biting test. A dental explorer can also be used to probe the surface for roughness, which could indicate a crack or break. X-rays and 3D scans can also show the extent of the crack, so your endodontist can develop a treatment plan that best suits your case. Treatment for cracked teeth varies by type, location, and extent of the crack. However, all cracked teeth should be treated as soon as possible to reduce complications and prevent further damage.

Tooth Pain

It’s not unusual for people to experience tooth pain from time to time. But, if the discomfort is sharp or persistent, it could indicate a serious problem with a tooth or the nerves within a tooth.

It is also important to see an endodontist if an individual has sustained a tooth injury or suffered from a mouth infection. These issues can lead to an aching tooth, which is often a sign of pulp tissue damage or a dental abscess.

A root canal can help relieve this ache. In the meantime, a person can try to manage the pain by using over-the-counter analgesics or rinsing their mouth with warm salt water. They can also rinse their mouth with hydrogen peroxide and apply a cold compress or an ice pack to the painful area. Thyme essential oil, which contains antiseptic properties, can also be used to treat pain and swelling.