A Brief Overview Of Endodontics

Endodontics is one of the dental technologies that we provide here at Stony Brook Family and Laser Dentistry of Long Island. Although it is more commonly referred to as root canal, this technology is primarily concerned with what lies below the tooth, namely the roots and soft tissues. When a tooth’s pulpy portion of the root becomes diseased, Stony Brook Family and Laser Dentistry endodontist may recommend that you undergo a root canal procedure to correct this. In many cases, the tooth’s surface will still be healthy. However, the root isn’t.

Root canals typically involve the removal of the nerves and the roots of teeth. If the problem involves only a single root, a root canal procedure will usually correct the issue. However, if there is several that require a thorough clean-out and extraction of pulp, your endodontist may need to perform a more complex and lengthy procedure. Endodontic specialists will limit themselves to performing root canal procedures, but they may perform other tasks as well such as draining abscesses and performing root canal therapy.

Should you need a root canal or root canal therapy, your dental insurance carrier may require that you get a referral from a dentist for these procedures. Although this may seem a bit complicated, if you have seen an endodontist here at Stony Brook Family and Laser Dentistry in the past, this oftentimes simplifies matters. However, if your condition is severe and you have been suffering for quite a while, you should schedule an appointment with us for immediate evaluation and treatment.

In most cases, you will not have to see your endodontist again for the remainder of your treatment once you have had a root canal performed. For instance, most patients who have had a root canal will usually require having a crown. The endodontist may have protected the hollowed out roots of your tooth/teeth by putting in a temporary filling. When it is time to get the crown attached, a general dentist will usually be responsible for this. So, if you have been dealing with this for a while now, we urge you to contact Stony Brook Family and Laser Dentistry today and schedule an appointment for evaluation and the recommended course of action.