Root canal therapy

Who performs endodontic treatment?

All dentists, receive endodontic training in dental school. General dentists can perform endodontic procedures along with other dental procedures, but they often refer patients needing this treatment to an endodontist.

Endodontists have special training in endodontic procedures and only perform endodontic procedures in their practices because they are specialists. To become a specialist, they complete dental school and an additional two years of advanced training in endodontics. They may perform routine as well as difficult and very complex endodontic surgery. Endodontists are also experienced at finding the cause of oral and facial pain that is difficult to diagnose.

What is endodontic treatment?

In Greek, "Endo" means "inside" and "odont" means "tooth." Endodontic treatment is a procedure dealing with the inside of the tooth.

To understand endodontic treatment, it helps to know something about the anatomy of the tooth. Inside the tooth, under the white enamel and a hard layer called the dentin, is a soft tissue called the pulp. The pulp contains blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue and creates the surrounding hard tissues of the tooth during development.

The pulp extends from the crown of the tooth to the tip of the roots where it connects to the tissues surrounding the root. The pulp is important during a tooth's growth and development. However, once a tooth is fully mature it doesn't require the pulp to survive as the tooth continues to be nourished by the tissues surrounding it.