What is an Endodontist?
An Endodontist is a dental specialist who deals with infections that occur inside the tooth. You might be experiencing pain to hot or cold temperatures, biting, swelling, gum sensitivity, abscess, discoloration of the tooth, or you may have no symptoms at all. You might be experiencing these symptoms because of deep decay, trauma, chipping, cracking, or repeated dental procedures. In some cases, the inside of a tooth (called the pulp) dies, or becomes necrotic, for no apparent reason.
Root Canal Treatment
Every tooth consists of three different layers. The outermost and hardest layer is enamel, and the second layer is dentin. The third is pulp, which is the cavernous space where the live tissue and nerve of each tooth is located.
If for any reason the pulp space is exposed to the outside, the tissue becomes contaminated and eventually infected. The exposure of pulp happens in many circumstances, such as when you have a large cavity or a fractured tooth. Your dentist can explain the exact reason for damage to this tissue. In these cases, the treatment is usually root canal treatment.
Root canal treatment is the process of going inside the pulp space and removing the infected, dead tissue. The space is then disinfected and sealed with special materials. Nowadays, root canal treatments are performed with advanced techniques and materials, making them far more comfortable and faster. After the root canal treatment is complete, your restorative dentist will usually place a crown or a permanent filling on your tooth to safeguard against fracture.
Root Canal Retreatment
When a root canal treatment fails, the first course of action that is usually taken is trying to re-do the root canal treatment.
The process is very similar to Root canal Treatment, the difference is that besides taking any remaining infected tissue out, the doctor has to take old filling material, any posts and crowns or any other obstacle in the pulp space out to be able to successfully disinfect and seal the area of the root canal.
After the retreat root canal treatment is done your restorative dentist will place a crown to protect the tooth against fractures.