When we talk about specialized dental care in our office, I mean, we’re not just drilling into the pulp of your teeth. [Endodontics] is one of the most important parts of dentistry for keeping natural teeth healthy and pain free. This is all about fixing problems inside the tooth, especially the dental pulp and root canal system. For those in North York and surrounding areas, good endodontic care can be the difference between keeping a natural tooth and having to pull it.
The dental pulp has nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue that helps the tooth grow and be healthy. Endodontic treatment is needed to save the tooth when this tissue gets infected or inflamed due to decay, frequent dental work or trauma. We’ve seen many patients who were scared they would lose a tooth at first but then endodontic therapy brought back function and comfort.
Working with Toronto North Periodontics has helped us learn more about how endodontic and periodontal health are connected. When gum disease gets bad enough to threaten the roots of the tooth or when endodontic problems make the gums swell, the best results come from combined treatment in these two areas. This integrated approach makes sure all parts of oral health are taken care of at the same time.
Root canal therapy is the most common endodontic procedure. It involves gently removing the infected or damaged pulp from inside the tooth. The endodontist then cleans and disinfects the root canals and fills and seals them to prevent re-infection. Many people don’t expect this surgery to be as comfortable and predictable as it is now. Patients don’t feel any pain during treatment because of local anesthetic and most only feel a little discomfort afterwards.
The tools and techniques used for endodontic therapy have come a long way in the last few years. Digital imaging shows the internal structure of the tooth in great detail and specialized microscopes let endodontists see parts of the tooth that would be hard to treat otherwise. Rotary tools clean and shape root canals better than hand files which speeds up treatment and improves results.
Many times we see patients who put off treatment because they are scared or don’t understand how endodontic procedures work. Many people think root canal treatment is painful but that’s not true. The surgery takes away the source of infection or inflammation which really eases the discomfort. Most people say they feel a lot better within a day or two of treatment.
Root canal therapy is just one part of endodontic treatment. Endodontists also fix teeth that have been knocked out or broken in accidents. If regular treatment doesn’t work they do endodontic surgery. If teeth have problems after previous endodontic treatment they do retreatment. This special training allows them to deal with complicated cases that regular dentists can’t handle.
The success rate for endodontic therapy is very good. Most of the teeth treated work for many years or even decades. Teeth usually need crowns or other restorations after root canal therapy to protect them and get them back to full function. We work with endodontists to set up this follow up care so patients get full treatment from start to finish.
Choosing the right endodontist in North York can make a big difference in how well the treatment works. We recommend endodontists who use the latest technology, stay up to date on their training and put their patients first. Investing in new technology and methods makes outcomes more predictable and improves the patient experience.
The best way to avoid needing endodontic treatment is to prevent it. Many occurrences of pulp infection can be prevented by going to the dentist regularly, keeping your mouth clean and getting dental problems treated quickly. But when endodontic treatment is needed patients can be sure current methods work well and make the process as comfortable as possible.
It’s usually easy to recover after endodontic treatment. The next day most patients can go back to work or school but they shouldn’t chew on the tooth that was treated until the permanent restoration is in place. It’s normal to feel some pain for a few days after treatment but over the counter painkillers usually work well for this. We give you instructions after your treatment to make sure you heal as quickly and completely as possible.
The goal of endodontic treatment is to keep natural teeth for as long as possible. Keeping your natural teeth in place keeps your chewing function normal, stops adjacent teeth from shifting and keeps your smile natural. Patients benefit from endodontic treatment because it saves a tooth and avoids more complicated treatment to replace a tooth that has been extracted.
