Endodontics - What is it?

Endodontics is a specialty of dentistry that deals with the tooth pulp and tissues surrounding the root of a tooth. The pulp (containing nerves, blood vessels as well as lymphatic tissue and fibrous tissue) can become diseased or injured and thus is unable to repair itself. The pulp then dies and endodontic treatment is required.

Endodontists are dentists who have specialized in this field. Typically they have completed an additional 2-3 years of training following dental school. They usually specialize and limit their practice to root canal therapy and root canal surgery. Patients requiring root canal therapy are either referred by their general dentists to the endodontist or are self referred.

The most common procedure done in endodontics is root-canal therapy. This procedure aims to save a tooth that would otherwise be extracted (pulled) due to infection caused by decay (a cavity in the tooth), a large filling, or trauma to the tooth. Root canal therapy involves the removal of diseased pulp tissue

inside the tooth (the area inside the tooth that becomes infected due to the aforementioned reasons). The aim of treatment is to remove irreversibly

inflamed or necrotic pulp tissue before infection sets in (or after it has already set in). When the pulp tissue becomes infected, caused by bacteria from inside the tooth, the infection can leak out of the tooth's root and make the surrounding bone ill and painful or cause an abscess to form. Once the diseased pulp tissues are removed, the body's defense system can then repair the damage created by disease.

Usually, this will require 1-2 visits to your endodontist.

Other procedures practiced in endodontics include incision for drainage and periradicular surgery. These treatments are needed in cases of abscesses, problematic tooth anatomy, and physical knocks/trauma that change the physiology of the dental pulp (e.g. Tooth gets displaced partially or completely from its socket).

In the latter, a significantly better outcome is usually derived when the traumatized tooth is placed in a special media which keeps the fragile cells on the root surface alive whilst en route to see the dentist. Hank's Balance Salt Solution (HBSS), available commercially as Knocked-Out Tooth Emergency First Aid Kit makes such emergency dental situations manageable, and is highly recommended for schools, sports facilities and even in homes.

by Dr Johnathan Wee a 2th Gen Team member

BDS (Singapore)

Certificate in Endodontics (Loma Linda, USA)

Practice Restricted to Endodontics