What Is Endodontics?
Endodontics is a branch of dentistry that deals with structures found inside teeth. When you look at your own teeth, you see the outer layer or the enamel. Inside each tooth is something called “pulp,” which contains nerves, blood vessels, and other tissues. The root is the part of your tooth that extends below your gums and secures your tooth in place.
Endodontic specialists are dentists who treat problems that affect the pulp and tooth roots. In the past, a tooth with a diseased nerve might be removed. Today, advanced endodontic treatments allow dentists to treat internal structures and save the natural tooth whenever possible.
If the tooth cannot be saved, restorative dentistry can return the health and function of your smile with durable and natural-looking crowns, bridges, and implants.
Endodontic Procedures
Thrive Dental & Orthodontics Dentists treat many endodontic problems in children and adults.
Tooth Decay
Tooth decay develops when the bacteria in the mouth create acids that attack the tooth’s enamel. This creates a small hole in the tooth’s surface called a cavity. Untreated decay will worsen, causing damage to the tooth pulp, leading to pain, infection, and possibly tooth loss.
Minor decay may not present obvious symptoms, so it’s essential to keep up with regular dental cleanings and exams. Early treatment of cavities can avoid further damage.
If you have a cavity, Thrive Dental endodontic specialists remove areas of decay and fill them in with a filling material. Good oral hygiene and limiting foods and drinks high in starch and sugar are the best ways to prevent decay.
Broken Tooth
A cracked or fractured tooth can happen from biting down on hard foods, grinding your teeth, or from trauma to the mouth or face from falls, contact sports, and other accidents.
If you have a broken tooth, our dentists assess the crack’s size, location, and depth to determine the proper course of care.
Small, shallow cracks in the enamel may be nothing more than a cosmetic issue.
Other cracks occur in the cusp, which is the raised point on the back of the tooth that helps with chewing. We can rebuild this structure to maintain proper tooth function.
More severe dental injuries can reach down to the tooth root and even split the tooth into two distinct segments. These breaks are more severe and require timely dental treatment to address possible infection and possibly save part of the tooth.
Root Canals
A root canal is an endodontic treatment for infection in tooth pulp. During a root canal, your dentist numbs the area around the infected tooth and nearby gum before placing a dental dam over the affected tooth to keep it dry.
Your dentist drills a small hole in the tooth crown to remove the inflamed pulp. Next, they clean and disinfect the areas inside the tooth before placing a temporary dental filling to seal the tooth. At a follow-up visit, the temporary filling is replaced with a custom-made dental crown. This natural-looking crown feels and functions like your natural tooth to restore your healthy bite and smile.
Thrive Dental & Orthodontics offers several types of sedation dentistry to ensure your comfort during root canals and other endodontic procedures. If you don’t respond well to local anesthesia or feel anxious about needles, different methods are available to keep you calm and pain-free from start to finish.
Tooth Abscesses
Bacterial infections can also lead to painful tooth abscesses. These are pockets of pus that develop in different areas near the tooth. Abscesses typically look like small, round, swollen red bumps. While an abscess affects the closest tooth, the infection can also spread to neighboring teeth and bone, so prompt treatment is important.
Gum disease, severe cavities, cracked teeth, tooth trauma, and other dental issues that create an opening for bacteria to enter the tooth and surrounding tissues can lead to an abscess. If infection is detected, your dentist makes a small incision in the abscess to drain it. In some cases, a root canal or extraction may also be recommended. Antibiotics are often prescribed to treat any remaining bacteria.
Possible Signs of Endodontic Problems
So, how do you know if you have a minor dental issue that can’t wait until your next exam—or an urgent endodontic problem that requires faster treatment?
Possible signs you may need endodontic treatment include:
- Tooth discoloration
- Tooth sensitivity to hot and cold
- Gum tenderness or inflammation
- Tenderness when chewing and biting
- Unexplained tooth, mouth, or jaw pain
We encourage all patients to call the Thrive Dental office when in doubt. We do our best to see all patients promptly and offer emergency dentistry for patients with severe dental injuries and lingering discomfort.
Don’t go another day in pain. Trust our team to determine what’s causing your tooth problems and provide dental services to relieve symptoms and improve your oral health.
Call your nearest Thrive Dental & Orthodontics location or book an appointment online. Our offices are conveniently located in Frisco, Allen, Sachse, Richardson, and Dallas to serve patients across North Texas.
