In the medical and dental fields, there are tons of specialists that you may not be aware of as a patient—unless you suddenly find yourself needing one. For instance, do you know what an endodontist specializes in? Don’t worry if you don’t. These tooth-saving experts are few in the industry, but it may become important for you to know the difference between a general dentist and an endodontist. If you have severe tooth pain or decay, continue reading to learn more about this professional and when you may require their services.
What Is an Endodontist?
You probably already know what your general dentist does, but you may not be as familiar with what an endodontist is and what they do. Less than 3 percent of dentists become endodontists, but all endodontists are dentists who have undergone two to three years of additional training on top of dental school to specialize in tooth surgery, treating tooth pain, and saving natural teeth.
Although these specialists can perform some other advanced endodontic therapies, they tend to focus on root canal treatment and retreatment. In fact, in their practices they only perform these types of procedures.
Benefits of Getting a Root Canal from an Endodontist
Many general dentists offer root canal treatment, but the reality is that they have much less experience and clinical training than an endodontist. On average, a dentist performs two root canals per week; meanwhile, an endodontist typically does this treatment about 25 times per week. As a result, when you work with an endodontist for this type of procedure, you have a specialist who has seen and handled more cases, which has several benefits:
- More comfortable experience for you as the patient.
- More confidence that the procedure will be done correctly.
- More expertise in managing abnormal or advanced cases.
- More advanced technology to ensure successful treatment.
- Higher chances of saving the natural tooth and avoiding extraction.
Ideally, you should work with a general dentist who refers their patients to an endodontist for root canal treatment. That way, you can enjoy all the preventive, cosmetic, and other important services your dentist can offer along with the benefits an endodontist provides when necessary.
In the end, when it comes to root canal treatment, an endodontist is preferable to a general dentist. Now that you’re more aware of this specialist, you can insist on better care and have peace of mind about your root canal treatment. With the help of an endodontist, you can preserve your smile for the longer term.
About the Practice
At Parkway Endodontics in Middleburg Heights and Lorain, Dr. Peyman Vaziri and Dr. Rachel James are both passionate endodontists with decades of experience under their belts. They love relieving pain for patients and helping them keep their natural teeth for as long as possible. In the practice, they use the latest technology including a 3D cone beam scanner and extremely high-powered microscopes to perform root canals. If you have questions about this procedure, you may contact us online or call one of our two locations.
