General Information

Endodontists are dentists who specialize in maintaining teeth through endodontic therapy, or as is commonly used ,"root canal therapy". The treatment focuses on the soft inner tissue of teeth, called the pulp.  The word "endodontic" comes from "endo" meaning inside and "odont" meaning tooth.    All dentists are trained in diagnosis and endodontic therapy, however, some teeth can be especially difficult to diagnose and/or treat.  That’s why you may have been referred to an endodontic specialist.

In addition to dental school, endodontists receive two or more years of advanced education in this kind of treatment. They study root canal techniques and procedures in greater depth, for diagnosis and treatment of more difficult cases. For this reason, many dentists choose to refer their patients to endodontists.

A local anesthetic will be given.  A sheet of latex called the "rubber dam" (we also have a non-latex if the need arises) will be placed around the tooth to isolate it, hence keeping it clean and dry during treatment.  The treatment consists of three or four basic steps, but the number of visits will depend on the condition of your tooth. A majority of teeth are able to be treated in one appointment. Some teeth require multiple visits to achieve an optimal result.

In any case, it depends on the degree of infection/inflammation and degree of treatment difficulty.  My treatment philosophy is that it is more important to do it the very best we can than to try and meet a specific time criteria. 

Root canal or endodontic therapy typically has a very high degree of success, up to or surpassing 90%.    We will discuss your tooth and the chances of success before any endodontic procedure to help you make an informed decision.  If endodontic therapy is unlikely to succeed, Dr. Kowalski will inform you of other treatment options available to you.

Oral pain such as toothaches or cracked / fractured teeth can often be difficult to pinpoint.  Because of the vast network of nerves in the mouth, the pain of a damaged or diseased tooth often is felt in another tooth and/or in the head, neck, or ear. An endodontist is a specialist in diagnosing and treating this type of pain.

Pulp damage is sometimes caused by a blow to the mouth, and the endodontist specializes in treating these traumatic injuries. For example, a blow to a child's permanent tooth that is not fully developed can cause the root to stop growing. A procedure called apexification stimulates bone to be deposited at the end of the root which makes it possible to then save the tooth through a root canal procedure. An endodontist is specially trained in procedures for replanting teeth that have been knocked out of their sockets.

Once endodontic therapy is completed your tooth should be examined periodically, usually every 6 - 12 months.  This allows us to make sure the tooth has healed or is healing properly.  You will be sent a notice in the mail when we feel it is appropriate to reevaluate the area. 

Occasionally a tooth that has undergone endodontic, treatment fails to heal or pain continues despite therapy. Although rare, sometimes a tooth initially responds to root canal therapy but becomes painful or diseased months or years later. When either of these situations occur, the tooth often can be maintained with a second endodontic treatment.