Everyone knows what a dentist is, but sometimes oral health requires collaboration with a dental specialist. If you are experiencing tooth pain, infection, or other more complex dental issues, you’ve likely been referred to an endodontist like Full Smile Endodontics. But what exactly is an endodontist, and when are we needed?

An endodontist is a specialized dentist with extensive training who saves teeth through advanced procedures that often focus on the interior of the tooth. Specialists like Dr. Steffan Scherer use their expertise and advanced dental technology to diagnose and treat more complex dental problems.

Treatments Provided By An Endodontist 

An endodontist may become necessary for infected teeth or more complex dental needs.  While general dentists can usually perform simple root canals, it’s recommended to visit an endodontist for specialty care. An endodontist may be required for:

• Severe Dental Pain
• Infected/Abscessed Tooth
• Complex Root Canal Needs
• Tooth Trauma
• Failed Root Canal

At Full Smile Endodontics, our team is highly trained in diagnosing structural dental concerns and providing the right endodontic treatment for optimal success. Common treatments include:

Root Canal

When a tooth becomes infected, a root canal can help save the tooth. During a root canal, we remove infected pulp, cleaning out all traces of infection. The tooth is then sealed to prevent ongoing issues. Most root canals end with a naturally colored crown placed on top to strengthen the tooth and improve appearance.

Endodontic Retreatment

Root canals are usually highly successful, but sometimes endodontic retreatment is needed. This may happen due to poor healing, a new cavity, a new crack in the tooth, or various other reasons. If you’re noticing pain or sensitivity at the site of a previous root canal, it’s important to reach out to your endodontics. Imagining will help determine the best course of action. Retreatment involves removing the current crown and filling to clean out the infection inside.

Endodontic Surgery

Severe or recurrent infection may require more invasive treatment. Endodontic surgery can save the tooth through a variety of methods, depending on your specific needs.

• Apicoectomy: The most common type of endodontic surgery, an incision is made in the gum tissue to access the root. Inflamed tissue and the tip of the infected root will be removed, leaving a healthy tooth. 
• Replantation: During a replantation procedure, the tooth is extracted from the mouth. After cleaning and treating both the tooth and tissue, the tooth will be replanted back where it came from. This is a procedure only done when absolutely necessary.
• Root Repair: During root repair, the impacted tooth root is either repaired or removed.

Post and Core Buildup

Post and core buildup may be required to help restore a tooth that is severely damaged or decayed. This may be needed before or after a root canal to help maintain the structural integrity of the tooth.

Endodontic Emergency Care

Dental trauma can sometimes require an emergency endodontic treatment visit to Full Smile Endodontics. Immediate attention may be needed for cracks, chips, severe pain, and infection. Untreated dental trauma can lead to tooth loss, fever, and more. If you’re in a significant amount of pain due to dental trauma, contact the Full Smile Endodontics office as soon as possible for timely care.

Find Specialized Care at Full Smile Endodontics in Amarillo

There are many reasons an endodontist may be recommended, from tooth pain to infection to deep cleaning. Dr. Scherer has over 25 years of experience, helping thousands of patients of all ages make sure their teeth are at their healthiest. If you’ve been referred to an endodontist or feel you may need more advanced dental care, schedule an appointment with Full Smile Endodontics today.