It’s fact – maintenance costs less than replacement. While dental implants provide hope for those suffering tooth loss, the costs of preservation – both financial and physical – are often far lower.
The American Association of Endodontists sponsors Save Your Tooth Month each May to highlight the importance of receiving care to retain your natural teeth. Endodontists perform many of the 15 million root canals done annually, handling an average of 25 per week (general dentists perform an average of two per week). Endodontists complete years of training beyond dental school, learning to preserve compromised natural teeth and manage patient discomfort with cutting-edge technology and surgical techniques.
Reasons To See An Endodontist To Help Save Your Tooth
Our natural teeth are facing new threats. COVID-19 continues to change our lives, and many patients are still reeling from its impacts. Isolation and turmoil result in increased persons reporting cracked teeth as a result of grinding their teeth. Many families chose or have been forced to forgo regular dental check-ups, or to put off badly needed dental work.
Endodontists can help diagnose confusing cases of tooth pain. With so many patients delaying routine care, the number of toothaches that do not receive proper diagnosis or treatment has risen. Injured or infected teeth can present odd or intermittent types of pain while damage continues in tooth pulp and root canals. If left untreated, the periodontal ligament and gums can become involved. Endodontists can work with other specialists to determine what’s happening and how to save your natural teeth.
An endodontist has probably dealt with a case like yours before. No matter how complex the challenge, it is probably familiar to your endodontist. Many endodontists have close referral relationships to general dentists and other specialty dentists, so if your challenge requires attention beyond the scope of their practice, they can help you find the right provider.
Your teeth are worth saving! The social impact of lost teeth can be profound. Our culture values capturing memories with photos and scrapbooks – and learning how to “smile for the camera” to de-emphasize your tooth loss can be a difficult and unpleasant chore. Natural teeth make the best smile.
“We encourage everyone to learn more about how endodontists practice in the 21st century,” says Dr. Allen, at the Phoenix Endodontics Group. “In the last generation, root canals and other procedures to save natural teeth have become easier, more successful, and more comfortable for patients. Don’t let fear keep you from treatment that may save your teeth!”
General dentists frequently work with endodontists on procedures, such as root canal treatments, designed to save natural teeth. Dentists often develop strong referral relationships with endodontists and may also place the crown that completes the root canal treatment. One topic, however, on which there is not general consensus between dentists and endodontists concerns the use of rubber dental dams during root canals.
A dental dam is a small sheet of latex or non-latex material that can have a hole punched in it so that the tooth a practitioner wants to work on is physically separated by the dam from the rest of a patient’s mouth. A 2015 survey revealed that only 47 percent of general dentists from a variety of backgrounds reported always using dental dams during root canals. In contrast, the American Association of Endodontists reaffirmed a position statement in 2017 asserting, “Tooth isolation using the dental dam is the standard of care; it is integral and essential for any nonsurgical endodontic treatment.”
Why are dental dams considered critical to endodontic care? Let’s look at the advantages when rubber dams are used during root canals and related procedures.
Why Endodontists Use A Rubber Dam During A Root Canal
It isolates the tooth being worked on from bacteria in your saliva. This is important for maintaining a sterile environment for the tooth.
It prevents water, debris, or anything else from going down your throat. This protects a patient from ingesting contaminants, fillers, or even cleaning tools used during a root canal.
It keeps the treatment area dry. This allows many types of dental materials to bond properly.
It can protect the gag reflex area, and create a feeling of separation of the rest of your body from the treatment area. These last two advantages can be especially important for clients who need a root canal but suffer from dental phobia.
“We use rubber dental dams in our practice during root canals to ensure we meet the highest standards of safety and quality,” says Dr. Jacqueline Allen, who practices with the Phoenix Endodontic Group. “Our endodontists are happy to explain their advantages. We also can answer questions about the use of dental dams or any other aspect of a root canal if you have any anxiety or concerns.”
Although advancements in technology and microsurgical techniques have made root canals more comfortable and less stressful, the procedure still requires significant investment of time, money, and care. Root canals aren’t inevitable, though – you can reduce your risk of needing one with targeted, proactive self-care.
The tips below can help you prevent a root canal. They focus on managing your risk of falling prey to the three major causes of root canals: tooth decay, infection, and injury. By diligently following these tips, you can greatly lower your chance of needing a root canal, or developing serious oral health problems.
Keeping Teeth Strong And Healthy: 5 Tips For Avoiding A Root Canal
Brush your teeth twice a day. A twice-daily toothbrushing routine is the first line of defense against tooth decay, a major contributor to the type of dental pulp infections that require a root canal to resolve. Use an American Dental Association (ADA) approved fluoride toothpaste on a soft-bristled toothbrush.
Floss your teeth once a day. This will amplify the effectiveness of brushing your teeth. Flossing cleans the 40 percent of tooth surfaces that cannot be reached by brushing.
Strengthen your teeth with calcium-rich foods. Dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cheese provide calcium to protect and build tooth enamel. You can also get calcium by eating green leafy vegetables, including bok choy, Brussels sprouts, and kale.
Use care when you bite down. This tip applies any time you apply force with your teeth. Be careful eating foods like nuts or peanut brittle or hard pretzels. And if you use your “teeth as tools” to rip, tear, or clamp down on things – stop it!
Wear a mouthguard for sports or workouts. Use a mouthguard when playing ANY sport where a collision or fall is possible. Mouthguards should also be worn during fitness activities such as rock climbing, hiking, or even cycling. To best avoid dental injury that could lead to a root canal, get your mouthguard professionally fitted.
“Chances of needing a root canal can be minimized with proper planning and the right habits,” says Dr. Allen an endodontist at Phoenix Endodontic Group. “Visit your dentist for regular checkups and cleanings, and always let them know if you experience any discomfort or symptoms indicating you need a root canal.”
The benefits of a root canal treatment when you have a tooth that is infected or injured are significant. First and foremost, you keep your tooth. Root canals also effectively reduce tooth pain, decrease the chance that serious dental infection will spread to adjacent teeth, and prevent the loss of bone density in the jaw, a common after-effect of tooth loss.
With all these advantages, the longer a root canal treatment can contribute to preserving a natural tooth, the better. The lifespan of a root canal treatment can vary considerably, depending on the circumstances. Here are several important factors that can play a role in how long your root canal treatment may last.
Factors Impacting Root Canal Success
Which tooth needs the root canal? The position of the compromised natural tooth will influence how complex the root canal procedure will be. Front teeth typically have only a single tooth root. Your molars, on the other hand, have two or even three root canals to be cleaned and filled, and will require a crown to protect the natural tooth afterward.
How bad is the damage to the tooth? Severe tooth decay or a crack or chip in a tooth can lead to inflammation or infection so bad that an abscess forms. If the outer structure of the tooth is still intact, there is a better chance that a root canal will last longer.
Who will perform the root canal? Endodontists are specialists in saving natural teeth. Surveys indicate that endodontists perform, on average, 25 root canals a week; general dentists average far fewer. One study found that 98 percent of root canals done by endodontists are successful, along with 90 percent done by general practitioners.
Will additional treatment be needed? The overall health of the tooth impacts whether a root canal is the best treatment. If the structure of the tooth itself is weak, a post and core procedure may be performed after the root canal to help anchor the crown and hold the natural tooth together.
Are you motivated to take care of your natural teeth? Patient involvement in the root canal process is critical to ensuring its long-term success. Contact your practitioner if you have unusual postoperative pain or if your temporary crown falls out; get the crown for the treated tooth promptly; and contact your dentist or endodontist if you have symptoms indicating tooth root infection at any point.
Dr. Allen, who practices with the Phoenix Endodontic Group, says, “Root canals can preserve natural teeth for years or even decades – and for some, they can last a lifetime. Our practice can instruct you in all the ways you can ensure your root-canal treated tooth stays healthy for as long as possible.”
Safe, thorough & effective laser root canal treatment is now available at Phoenix Endodontic Group. SWEEPS® is an advanced method for cleaning the root canal system. Our state-of-the-art Fotona LightWalker® laser generates precise waves of energy to thoroughly clean the complex root canal system that traditional methods can sometimes miss.
SWEEPS® promises to represent an entirely new way of thinking about root canal therapy. With SWEEPS®, patients receive fast, safe, and effective root canal treatments.
SWEEPS® Endodontic Laser Treatment
Root canal laser treatment successfully addresses a major disadvantage of classical root canal therapy, the inability to completely clean and disinfect complex root canal systems.
Advantages of and SWEEPS® Technologies:
Fast, Effective, and Minimally Invasive Treatments with Multiple Laser Technologies.
Increased Success Rates.
SSP and SWEEPS® deliver cleaning solutions throughout the tooth’s small nooks and crannies removing bacteria, dead tissue, and debris.
Reduced complications.
Less need for additional costly procedures such as surgery, retreatment or extractions, and implant therapy.
Increased patient safety.
Cleans the entire root canal anatomy without the risk of extruding cleaning solutions beyond the end of the root vs. GentleWave Technology.
Reduced removal of tooth structure = Reduced tooth fracture.
Ask how you can benefit from using Fotona Laser SWEEPS® treatment for your root canal.
It seems that our schedules continue to get busier these days and are full of activities that need to be accomplished, particularly this time of year. If you are dealing with the challenge of an infected or injured tooth, you may wonder if you really have to schedule a dental appointment to place a permanent crown over a tooth that’s been treated with a root canal. There’s so much else to do!
You may ask,“Can’t I wait until early next year to schedule my crown appointment?” The short answer to that question is NO. Here are a few reasons why you should schedule your follow up appointment to receive your crown within one to three weeks after your root canal.
5 Reasons Why You Should Not Delay Getting A Crown After Root Canal Treatment
A longer wait means a longer period of being extra careful. Many of the instructions you receive after your root canal – especially the ones related to eating soft, bland foods – are designed to protect the temporary crown. If you wait longer to get a crown, you will have to continue that regimen.
Until a final restoration (crown) is placed, your tooth remains at risk of further damage. A root canal-treated tooth can be more brittle after the procedure, and a permanent crown is needed to prevent future damage.
Your tooth may suffer extra sensitivity without a crown. Some teeth treated by root canals can become more sensitive to heat or cold. Permanent crowns reduce this effect.
The longer you wait, the more likely you are to have the temporary crown fall out. Your temporary crown is not secured to your tooth in the same way a permanent crown is. If it falls off, the chances that you will experience increased pain or reinfection can skyrocket, as can cost. Such situations often result in unplanned emergency trips to the dentist.
A permanent crown gives your natural tooth the best shot at long-term survival. A study published in the May 2020 Journal of Endodontics reported that natural teeth treated with a permanent crown restoration have a survival rate of more than 90 percent over nine years. The extra layer of outer protection provided by the crown safeguards the interior protection offered by the root canal.
“Having a root canal is the first step to rescuing a compromised natural tooth,” says Dr. Allen, who practices with the Phoenix Endodontic Group. “Having a permanent crown placed over that tooth within one to three weeks ensures a much higher level of certainty that your tooth repair will last a lifetime.”
Reasons To See An Endodontist To Help Save Your Tooth
