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Endodontics is the branch of dentistry dealing with the cause, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases of the dental pulp, usually by removal of the nerve and other tissue of the pulp cavity and its replacement with suitable filling material; pulp canal therapy; root canal therapy. Endodontics deals with the tooth pulp and tissues surrounding the root of a tooth. The pulp is the soft tissue that is located inside the tooth structure. It contains nerves, arteries, veins, and lymph tissue. It is contained in the canals located in thin tube-like spaces in the roots and in the pulp chamber located within the crown of the tooth. The pulp (containing nerves, arterioles and venules as well as lymphatic tissue and fibrous tissue) can become diseased or injured and thus is unable to repair itself. The pulp then dies and endodontic treatment is required.
Endodontists are dentists who have specialized in this field. Typically they have completed an additional 2-3 years of training following dental school. Many endodontic residents do original research and earn a Master’s Degree as well as a specialty certificate. They specialize and limit their practice to root canal therapy and root canal surgery, and use their special training and experience in treating difficult cases, such as teeth with narrow or blocked canals, or unusual anatomy. Endodontists may use advanced technology, such as operating microscopes, ultrasonics and digital imaging, to perform these special services, and often have great experience in successfully treating patient who present in pain. Patients requiring root canal therapy are either referred by their general dentists to the endodontist or are self referred.
Endodontic therapy (root canal) is a treatment modality that will save diseased or injured teeth. The alternative to endodontics is extraction. Typically, a severely decayed tooth or a tooth with a large filling will begin to ache. The pain might be intermittent at first and over time progress to a constant dull throbbing pain or a severe ache that might be felt on all the teeth on the affected side. Sometimes there is no pain and an abscess might be discovered on a routine x-ray.
Root canal therapy is also a standard procedure for general dentists. This procedure aims to save a tooth that would otherwise be extracted (pulled) due to infection caused by decay (a cavity in the tooth), a large filling, or trauma to the tooth. Root canal therapy involves the removal of diseased pulp tissue inside the tooth (the area inside the tooth that becomes infected due to the aforementioned reasons). The aim of treatment is to prevent or eliminate the development of inflammation outside the root by removing the diseased/infected pulp and then sealing the root canal systems with a biocompatible material. When the pulp tissue becomes infected, caused by bacteria from inside the tooth, the infection can leak out of the tooth's root and infect the surrounding bone and become painful or cause an abscess to form. Once the diseased pulp tissues are removed, the body's defense system can then repair the damage created by disease.
Medical Opinions Associates has dental experts in endodontics who can review dental records, write opinion letters, and provide on-going litigation support on behalf of injured patients. One of our Endodontist experts, in addition to being Board-certified by the American Board of Endodontics, did post-graduate training at the Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery, having received his DDS from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dentistry. He is also on the faculty at one New York medical center school of dentistry and a guest lecturer at another. Another Endodontics expert also did his post-graduate work in Endodontics at the Columbia University School of Dentistry and is Assistant Clinical Professor in Endodontics at two New York schools of dentistry and is in private practice in New York. He is well-published in his field and has given numerous lectures, seminars, and clinics.
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