by Dr. Jacqueline S. Allen | Apr 17, 2018 | Blog, Dentistry, Endodontics, Endodontist, General Information, Phoenix Endodontic Group, Root Canal
Many of us love a good mystery novel or television show, but few people enjoy mysteries that revolve around our teeth. If you went to your general dentist to resolve a nagging dental issue, you may be wondering why he or she sent you to an endodontist for further examination and treatment.
Endodontists are dental specialists who focus on treating diseases of the dental pulp. They are experts in restoring infected or injured natural teeth to health. The procedures that they perform for patients also make them quite knowledgeable about reducing and eliminating dental pain.
If your dentist has referred you to an endodontist, here are some of the most common reasons he or she may have done so.
Top Reasons For Referral To An Endodontist
- Your dentist suspects that you need a root canal. If you have the symptoms of infected tooth pulp, your dentist will most likely want the endodontist to conduct an examination and potentially perform a root canal.
- Your dentist may want to have the endodontist examine a previous root canal. Root canal treatments, when followed by the addition of a dental crown on top, have success rates that exceed 90 percent. But root canals can fail, and when they do, an endodontist is the professional most experienced in performing a root canal retreatment.
- You may have a cracked tooth. Teeth cracks can let in bacterial infection that can damage the tooth’s pulp. In many cases, root canals performed by an endodontist are the only thing that can preserve a natural tooth that has suffered a crack.
- You may need an apicoectomy. If a previous root canal has failed, the damaged tooth may need an apicoectomy, which fills and seals the root tip of the tooth from the root end of the tooth (rather than from the crown end of the tooth, as in a typical root canal).
“Dentists and endodontists work together as a team to keep your natural teeth healthy and intact,” says Dr. Jacqueline S. Allen, who practices with the Phoenix Endodontic Group. “If you have any questions about your referral, let our office know and we will provide a detailed explanation of your condition and your options for treatment.”
by Dr. Jacqueline S. Allen | Mar 15, 2018 | Blog, Endodontics, General Information, Root Canal, Technology
Endodontists are fond of emphasizing that endodontic therapies such as root canals preserve your natural teeth, allowing you to chew, speak and eat without the downsides that come with dentures or other forms of dental restorations. Most current endodontic therapy preserves the outside of a natural tooth by placing a crown over it, while replacing the failing nerve and pulp in the canals with the latex filling gutta-percha.
However, one of the most exciting developments in professional endodontics in the past generation has been research into regenerative endodontic therapy. Instead of replacing the nerve pulp with an inert substance, this groundbreaking treatment creates and delivers healthy living tissue to replace diseased, missing or traumatized pulp.
Endodontists who are at the forefront of this research combine their knowledge of pulp biology, the proper care of dental trauma, and tissue engineering to accomplish this task. The body’s own existing cells or bioactive materials are inserted in the pulp chamber to stimulate regrowth. A related procedure, apexification, employs similar methods to grow a dentin-like substance over the apex (tip) of the tooth root, in order to improve the chances of a traditional root canal treatment succeeding when the death of the pulp in a developing adult tooth has left an open apex.
Endodontic practitioners measure the success of regenerative endodontic therapy by its ability to achieve the following treatment goals:
- Elimination of symptoms
- Increased root wall thickness and/or root length
- Positive response to pulp vitality testing
While this technique is still evolving, endodontists are following the progress of its development with great interest.
“Regenerative endodontic therapy opens the door to transforming how we approach saving natural teeth,” says Dr. Allen, an endodontist in private practice with the Phoenix Endodontic Group. “It truly may lead to a clinical situation in which we facilitate the body healing itself.”
by Dr. Jacqueline S. Allen | Feb 15, 2018 | Blog, Business, Endodontist, Root Canal
When you are trying to invest in something important – a car, say – it’s not enough to think about any type of motorized vehicle with four wheels that will get you from Point A to Point B. To get the best value for your money, you’ll have to think about how you live your life, what monthly payment you can afford, the size of your garage, and many other factors.
That same sort of individualized thinking comes into play when you have an infected or injured tooth and need to see a dental professional to fix it. You most likely will need an endodontist, a dentist who is a specialist in saving natural teeth. But there’s more to finding a good endodontist than just looking for the word in a practice’s name. Here are just a few qualities you’ll want to look for as you “comparison shop” for endodontists, to find the best specialist to work on your mouth.
Great Qualities Your Endodontist Should Have
- Specialized training. Endodontists receive two to three additional years of schooling after dental school, but because the field changes so rapidly, a commitment to continuing education is a must. Membership in an organization such as the American Association of Endodontists can indicate a practitioner is invested in remaining up to date on their education.
- A commitment to your comfort. Endodontists are experts at managing pain and discomfort, even for patients who have had challenges in this area in the past. A good endodontist will focus on your comfort level and seek to maintain or improve it throughout all procedures that are undertaken.
- Skill with current technologies. Technological breakthroughs have revolutionized root canal treatment in the past 30 years. An endodontist’s use of these tools can make your recovery from treatment quicker and help you experience less discomfort.
- A high experience level with endodontic procedures. General dentists perform, on average, two root canals per week; an endodontist may perform as many as 25. This translates into greater familiarity with different challenges and how to solve them.
- A wide network of professional colleagues. Collaborating with a network of general dentists, fellow endodontists and other dental specialists means your endodontist can accept and make referrals with ease if your case calls for one.
“As endodontists, we are committed to pursuing the education, collaboration and professional excellence it takes to properly care for our clients,” says Dr. Jacqueline S. Allen, a partner with the Phoenix Endodontic Group.
by Dr. Jacqueline S. Allen | Dec 13, 2017 | Blog, Cracked Teeth, Endodontist
While many of us appreciate the change in schedule that the winter holidays usher in, if we experience a dental emergency during a holiday, it can be difficult to determine what conditions require immediate care by a dentist and which don’t. Here are a few guidelines to help you determine whether your dental pains are serious or not, and what to do next.
Red Alert: Don’t Ignore A Dental Emergency
If you experience a dental injury that is the result of a blow to the head or face, involves a laceration, serious cut, a jaw fracture or dislocation, or is caused by an infection in your mouth so severe it’s impacting your ability to breathe or swallow, you’ll want to head directly for the ER. All of these conditions are potentially life-threatening and need immediate medical attention.
Yellow Alert: Urgent But Not Emergency Conditions
There is another category of dental crisis that normally necessitates a next-day trip to the dentist. Some of these conditions include:
- Cracked or broken teeth
- A knocked-out tooth that was not the result of face/head trauma
- A dental abscess that’s painful but not interfering with breathing or swallowing
If your dentist or endodontist is not available due to a holiday closure, call the office’s emergency number. The practice may have a designated emergency provider, or your provider may be able to call in an antibiotic to eliminate infection.
Green Alert: Situations Where Home Care Can Work
Although it may make for a challenging day or two, some dental conditions can be managed from home until the dentist is open for business after the holidays.
- If you lose a filling, your pharmacy may carry temporary dental filling material to protect your tooth.
- A mild toothache may respond to over-the-counter pain relievers until the dentist visit can be scheduled.
- Some minor dental discomfort can be relieved by chewing on the side opposite the painful tooth until your appointment.
- Keep the affected area of your mouth clean by swishing with salt water.
“Our practice makes every effort to see clients the same day that they call,” says Dr. Jacqueline S. Allen, a partner at the Phoenix Endodontic Group. “We see patients on an emergency basis 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, when there is a delay before a client can see the dentist, we can help them determine the safest and most comfortable way to make it through a holiday.”
by Dr. Jacqueline S. Allen | Nov 13, 2017 | Blog, Endodontics, Endodontist, General Information, Root Canal
Like most health-enhancing procedures, the technologies and techniques used to provide root canals have been steadily advancing, especially over the past few decades. Today’s root canal procedure is considerably easier on patients than it was in the 1980s, or even the 1990s.
Something that may surprise you, however, is that root canals have been around for well over a century. Here’s a brief list of historical milestones related to root canal procedures, to foster appreciation for how they have developed.
Important Dates In Root Canal History
- 1728 – Pierre Fauchard, a French physician regarded as the father of modern dentistry, authors the book “Le chirurgien dentiste,” which describes the existence of dental pulp.
- 1838 – American Edwin Maynard creates the first root canal instrument, which he fashions from a watch spring.
- 1847 – Gutta-percha is introduced as a material for filling dental canals.
- 1890s – Crowns are becoming increasingly popular as a dental restoration. Many require canal posts, which increases interest in endodontic treatments such as root canals.
- 1900 – The emerging imaging technology of X-rays is identified as an important tool for diagnosing tooth root problems.
- 1943 – The American Association of Endodontics is established to facilitate professional practice in this specialty.
- 1950s – After a half-century of controversy, research establishes that natural teeth needing root canals do not cause systemic health problems, leading to a renewed interest in endodontics.
- 1990s to the present – Endodontic root canal treatments receive an upgrade due to improved imaging techniques, the advent of rotary nickel-titanium files to clean canals, and use of new irrigating solutions.
“Root canals have never been a static procedure, with only ‘one right way’ to preserve a challenged natural tooth,” says Dr. Allen of the Phoenix Endodontic Group. “Endodontists in all eras have striven to improve the experience for patients and create successful outcomes.”
