Who is an Endodontist?

An Endodontist is a dental specialist who has completed additional postgraduate training after dental school to prepare him or her in treating complicated endodontic cases. Dr. Nima Dejbod has limited his practice to root canal treatment and related procedures. By referring you to an endodontic specialist, your family dentist demonstrates a personal concern for the quality of your dental care.

What about infection control?

We are very proud of our sterilization and infection control. Every item used is completely disposed of or heat sterilized after each use. All surfaces of the dental treatment rooms are disinfected with chemicals that kill bacteria and viruses. We pride ourselves on maintaining the highest standards of office cleanliness and sterility.

What is endodontic treatment?

Root canal or endodontic treatment is performed when the soft inner tissue of the tooth (the pulp) has been damaged, usually through decay or physical trauma. Treatment consists of removing the pulp and then cleaning, sterilizing, filling, and sealing the root canals. The tooth remains alive, nourished by adjacent tissues of the gums and jaw. Over 90 percent of cases are successful, while a few may require additional treatment. After root canal treatment is completed, it is very important to return to your family dentist so that a permanent restoration can be placed. Usually, a crown is needed to protect the tooth from fracture.

Toothache is defined as pain coming from one tooth or multiple teeth and gums. Some toothaches can be just a mild twinge or severe such as constant and throbbing pain.

What causes a toothache?

Toothaches can be caused by cavities, cracks on the tooth, loose filling material on the tooth, and gum recession. Trauma from heavy biting, accidents, sports, etc., can also cause toothaches.

What are symptoms of a toothache?

When a toothache is mild, symptoms include a twinge sensation from cold, hot, or sweet. Severe toothaches lead to difficulties in biting, eating, or drinking cold or hot foods, lying down, flying on an airplane, or diving. One may also experience earaches or headaches.

How do you treat a toothache?

If the toothache is mild, you can try using desensitizing toothpaste such as Sensodyne and avoid cold, hot, or sweet foods. To relieve the pain, you can take 1 to 2 tablets of over-the-counter pain killers. Then visit the dentist for treatment. If the toothache is severe, swelling on the face or gum can occur as well as a fever. With these symptoms, see your dentist immediately. Root canal therapy or other therapy may be needed.

What is latex-free endodontics?

If you are allergic to latex, we have a latex-free treatment for root canal therapy. We have non-latex gloves and latex-free rubber dams. We use biocompatible root canal filling materials.

What are the alternatives to treatment?

Once the dental pulp is diseased, the only alternative to root canal treatment is extraction. After an extraction, replacing the tooth with a bridge, implant, or partial denture is generally more costly than the root canal treatment and the crown. More importantly, you lose your natural tooth.

Is root canal treatment painful?

Root canal treatment usually involves no more discomfort than a routine filling appointment. In fact, most endodontic treatment relieves pain. Most stories of painful root canals are holdovers from the days before modern techniques and effective anesthetics were available.

Can all teeth be treated?

Some teeth cannot be treated successfully. We will explain potential complications before treatment. A few cases will require additional treatment if the tissues do not heal normally after the root canal treatment has been completed.

Traumatic Injuries

Dislodged Teeth
Injuries to the mouth can cause teeth to be pushed back into their sockets. Your endodontist or general dentist may reposition and stabilize your tooth. Root canal treatment is usually started within a few weeks of the injury and a medication, such as calcium hydroxide, will be placed inside the tooth. Eventually, a permanent root canal filling will be implanted.

Sometimes a tooth may be pushed partially out of the socket. Again, your endodontist or general dentist may reposition and stabilize your tooth. If the pulp remains healthy, then no other treatment is necessary. Yet, if the pulp becomes damaged or infected, root canal treatment will be required.

Avulsed Teeth
If an injury causes a tooth to be completely knocked out of your mouth, it is important that you are treated immediately! If this happens to you, keep the tooth moist. If possible, put it back into the socket. A tooth can be saved if it remains moist. You can even put the tooth in milk or a glass of water (add a pinch of salt.) Your Endodontist may start root canal treatment based upon the stage of root development. The length of time the tooth was out of your mouth and the way the tooth was stored, may influence the type of treatment you receive.

Injuries in children
An injured immature tooth may need one of the following procedures to improve the chances of saving the tooth:

Apexogenesis. This procedure encourages the root to continue development as the pulp is healed. Soft tissue is covered with medication to encourage growth. The tip of the root (apex) will continue to close as the child gets older. In turn, the walls of the root canal will thicken. If the pulp heals, no additional treatment will be necessary. The more mature the root becomes, the better the chance to save the tooth.
Apexification. In this case, the unhealthy pulp is removed. The doctors place medication into the root to help a hard tissue form near the root tip. This hardened tissue provides a barrier for the root canal filling. At this point, the root canal walls will not continue to develop, making the tooth susceptible to fractures. So it is important to have the tooth properly restored by your dentist.

Services

Traumatic Injuries