The dentist can handle many of your dental needs, but sometimes you benefit from going to a specialist.  When dealing with a root canal, that's where endodontists come in.  While both dentists and endodontists are committed to saving their patient's teeth, there are several benefits to working with an endodontist that are different than working with your normal dentist. 

Endodontists specialize in specific aspects of dentistry

That doesn't mean that endodontists are smarter than your normal dentist!  It just means that they took up to 3 more years of training to specialize in root canals and any tooth and facial sensitivity associated with it.  An endodontist is similar to medical specialists like dermatologists.  General practitioners or family doctors have knowledge of all medical conditions.  However, their knowledge may not be comprehensive about any one ailment.  That's why doctors and dentists will refer patients to specialists: they provide a deeper dive in terms of treating the condition.

More practice

Endodontists do more root canals than regular dentists – nearly 13 times more.  Remember the old adage "Practice makes perfect"?  That's true with everything.  Endodontists see more root canals, which makes them more aware of the things to look for with not only the condition, but also the healing process.  This focused experience also allows them to hone their skills faster and keep them up to date. 

Less scheduling hassles

Endodontist offices only handle root canals.  That frees up scheduling times considerably.  Where your regular dentist may have several different procedures on his or her calendar in a given day, tendodontists don't have as many types of patients competing for their time.  Many endodontists offer flexible schedules, making emergency procedures easier to complete.

Access to up to date tools

Dentists see so many different types of patients in a given day that it can be difficult to justify the purchase of newer technology such as ultrasonic instrumentation and fiber optics for each dental concern.  This means that they may be utilizing older technology to handle a root canal.  That can result in anything from a longer period of time to complete the process to an uncomfortable procedure.  Endodontists need only focus on one dentistry discipline and can, therefore, purchase the most up-to-date technology available.  This may, in turn, reduce the amount of time a procedure takes and allow for a more comfortable, less painful experience.

If you need a root canal, consider using the services of an endodontist.  Don't worry: you will not abandoning your dentist by doing so.  An endodontist like Dodson Endodontics will complete the procedure and send you back to your dentist for follow up and ongoing maintenance.

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