Overview and Importance of Endodontics
- Endodontics encompasses the study and practice of the basic and clinical sciences of dental pulp.
- It involves the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and injuries of the dental pulp.
- Endodontics includes preserving teeth with irreversibly inflamed and infected pulpal tissue.
- Treatment is required to save the tooth if the dental pulp becomes diseased or injured.
- Endodontic treatment is one of the most common dental procedures.
- Endodontists play a crucial role in preserving natural teeth through root canal treatments.
- Endodontists are specialized in endodontic therapy and can provide advanced treatments.
- Endodontists are members of the American Association of Endodontists.
- Endodontists use microscopes during treatment to preserve tooth structure and avoid iatrogenic damage.
- Endodontists use CBCT (3D imaging) for diagnosis and treatment planning.

Procedures
- Root canal treatment is a dental procedure used to treat infected tooth pulp.
- It is required when the dental pulp is irreversibly damaged.
- Root canal treatment can also be done before placing post-retained crowns and overdentures.
- Periradicular surgery involves the root surface and includes procedures like apicoectomy and root resection.
- Other non-surgical endodontic procedures include pulp capping, pulpotomy, apexification, and pulpal regeneration.
- Hemisection is another non-periradicular endodontic surgery where a root and its overlying portion of the crown are separated and optionally removed.
- Microsurgical endodontics, using magnification devices like microscopes and dental loupes, is widely accepted among endodontists.

Root Canal Treatment
- Root canal treatment is used to treat infected tooth pulp.
- Bacteria entering the pulp through deep cavities or failed fillings can cause this.
- It involves removing the damaged and infected pulp, shaping and cleaning the root canal system, and filling and sealing it.
- A direct or indirect restoration is placed after the root canal treatment.
- Instrument fractures and sodium hypochlorite accidents can occur during root canal treatment.

Periradicular Surgery
- Periradicular surgeries involve the root surface and include procedures like apicoectomy and root resection.
- An apicoectomy is a surgical procedure where the apex of a root is resected.
- It is done when a previous root canal treatment fails and re-root canal treatment is not possible.
- Local anesthesia is used for improved visualization during the procedure.
- Complications that may arise include pain, swelling, ecchymosis, paraesthesia, and infection.

Education and Training
- Endodontists are specialist dentists with additional training and experience in endodontic treatment and surgeries.
- They receive formal qualifications in endodontics, apicectomies, microsurgery, and dental emergency and trauma management.
- Endodontics is recognized as a specialty by national dental organizations in various countries.
- In Australia, endodontics is recognized as one of the thirteen registered dental specialties.
- Dentists in the United States must undergo 2-3 years of postgraduate training to become an endodontist.
- American Dental Association (ADA) accredited programs for endodontics are a minimum of two years long.
- After completing the training, dentists are eligible to sit for the American Board of Endodontology examination.
- Successful completion of board certification results in Diplomate status in the American Board of Endodontics.

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
endodontics (noun plural but singular in construction)
a branch of dentistry concerned with diseases of the pulp
Endodontics (Wikipedia)

Endodontics (from the Greek roots endo- "inside" and odont- "tooth") is the dental specialty concerned with the study and treatment of the dental pulp.

Endodontist
An endodontist operating on his patient.
Occupation
Occupation type
Specialty
Activity sectors
Dentistry
Description
Education required
Dental Degree, Specialty certificate in endodontics
Fields of
employment
Hospitals, Private Practices
Related jobs
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Endodontics (Wiktionary)

English

Noun

endodontics (uncountable)

  1. The branch of dentistry dealing with the dental pulp and root

Related terms

Translations

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