Endodontic FAQs
Endodontics is a branch of dentistry recognized by the American Dental Association involving treatment of the pulp space (root canal) and surrounding tissues of the tooth. When you look at your tooth in the mirror, what you see is the crown. The rest of the tooth--the portion hidden beneath the gum line--is called the root. Though the outer portion of the root is a hard tissue called dentin, the inside channel or “root canal” contains a pulp of soft tissue, comprising blood vessels and nerves. Bacteria that are introduced into the pulp as a result of tooth decay, periodontal disease, tooth fracture or other problems, can severely damage the pulp. When that happens, an endodontic specialist removes the diseased pulp (or disinfects the canal space if already infected) to save the tooth and prevent further infection and inflammation. After successful endodontic treatment, the tooth continues to perform normally.
No. While x-rays will be necessary during your endodontic treatment, we use an advanced non-film computerized system, called digital radiography, that produces radiation levels 80 to 90% lower than those of already low dose conventional dental x-ray machinery. In fact, the American Dental Association in 2024 stated that because digital radiography is so low, the use of a shield apron is not even necessary. However, we are continuing to use the shield for all patients at Clayton Endodontics at this time, out of an abundance of caution. These digital images can be optimized, archived, printed and sent to referring doctors via e-mail.
We adhere to rigorous standards of infection control advocated by OSHA, the Centers for Disease Control and the American Dental Association. We utilize autoclave sterilization and barrier techniques to eliminate risk of infection. Bottom line--we prepare our space and equipment the way we would want it if we were the ones receiving the treatment.
When your root canal therapy has been completed, a record of your treatment will be sent to your referring dentist. You should contact your referring dentists office for a follow-up restoration as soon as possible, but at least within a few weeks of completion at our office. Your restorative dentist will decide on what type of restoration is necessary to protect your tooth. It is rare for endodontic patients to experience complications after routine endodontic treatment or microsurgery. If a problem does occur, however, please call our office so we can help.
We will take every measure to ensure that your procedure is in no way uncomfortable or painful. Prior to initiating treatment, we will administer local anesthesia (local numbing medicine) to gently numb a concentrated area of your mouth. For most patients, the feeling of numbness usually subsides after 2-3 hours. We use an isolation barrier, called a rubber dam (latex free), during every root canal treatment we provide. This barrier prevents instruments, unpleasant tasting disinfecting solutions, and even excess water from getting into the back of your mouth. Most people are amazed at how comfortable and easy is a root canal procedure in our office!
Patients often ask about pain after the procedure: While we expect you to feel a little tenderness in the area from the injections and the procedure in general, few patents will experience actual pain. We will provide post-treatment instructions that will guide you regarding over-the-counter medications that will be helpful after treatment, if needed.
It depends on the particular case. For straight-forward cases, we may not feel the need to have you return. However, we are always happy to see you again if you'd like us to check the tooth for any reason. For more complex cases, we may recommend that patients return to the office either 6 months or 1 year after the procedure was finished, to check the progress of healing. Our office will send a reminder notice to you when you are due for these recall appointments.