We’re continuing our look at specialized dental care because May is Dental Care Awareness Month. In our last post, we looked at periodontics and what a periodontist does. Continuing our look at dental specialties, in this post we’re looking at endodontists. While periodontics deals with the outside of your teeth, endodontics is concerned with the inside of your teeth. Endodontists diagnose tooth pain as well as perform root canal treatments. These treatments can be uncomfortable and nerve-wracking, but you can rest assured that you are in the best hands when you come to Smile Boutique for endodontics in Massachusetts.
Let’s take a look at endodontics in Massachusetts and what care an endodontist provides.
What’s inside a tooth?
Endodontists treat issues with the inside of your teeth, so first we need to know what is inside a tooth. The area inside your tooth is known as the “tooth pulp.” Not the nicest-sounding name, we know. But it’s just the stuff inside your tooth. That stuff is blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue. Just as any of those things elsewhere in your body can become infected or inflamed, the same can happen to your teeth. Tooth decay, traumatic injury, or even repeated dental work can let bacteria into the tooth pulp and cause infection or inflammation. When bacteria get into your tooth pulp, an endodontist is the dental specialist to call.
What is an endodontic procedure?
The most common reason to need endodontics in Massachusetts is for root canal treatment. During a root canal treatment, the endodontist will remove infected tissue from the inside of a tooth. The next step is to disinfect the inside of the tooth so the infection cannot return. Once the canals are cleaned and disinfected, the endodontist will fill the decontaminated canals. Depending on the severity of the infection and the extent of the damage to the tooth, this procedure can take several hours. It may require multiple visits before it is complete. If this is necessary, a temporary filling is applied between visits.
Endodontics in Massachusetts at Smile Boutique
Root canal treatment and dental care for the inside of your teeth is precise and delicate work. When it comes to caring for your teeth, you want to know that you’re getting the best. All the providers on our team are highly trained and experienced and are ready to give you the best dental care possible, whether you need endodontics in Massachusetts, routine dental work, or emergency care.