Endodontics Everything You Ever Wanted To Know

<P>Endodontics is a dental specialty that deals with tooth pulp and the tissue that surrounds the root of the tooth.  An endodontist will perform any number of procedures including root canal therapy.  Other surgeries can include fixing cracked teeth and repairing dental trauma from accidents.  Whenever the tooth pulp is diseased or damaged, treatment from an endodontist is required in order to save the tooth.  Tooth pulp is the center of the tooth.  It is comprised of live connective tissue and cells.  In cases where the tooth pulp becomes inflamed, a root canal procedure is necessary.  The pulp also contains nerves, which is why diseases and damage inside the tooth is so painful.    </P> <P> <HR> <P></P> <P><STRONG>RECOMMENDED PROFESSIONALS:</STRONG></P> <P>(Get your business listed here and generate leads 24/7- email <A href="mailto:info@smartguy.com">info@smartguy.com</A>)</P> <P>Consumers... click <A href="http://www.findaprofessional.com/"><STRONG>HERE</STRONG></A> to find a local professional through our friends at FindaProfessional.com</P> <P> <HR> <P></P> <P>Becoming an endodontist requires a lot of schooling.  All dental specialties, including Endodontics, require completion of dental school before participating in a 1 to 2 year residency in the desired specialty.  Job prospects for all dentists are good.  Job growth between 2010 and 2020 is expected to reach 21%.  This rate of growth is still not expected to keep up with an increased demand for services.  Each generation keeps their teeth longer than the previous generation, meaning the need for dental care increases faster than the population.  Universal health coverage, allowing more people access to medical procedures, will further stretch the availability of dentists and specialists.  </P> <P>Salaries for endodontists are much higher than the national averages.  The median wage for all dental specialists is $161,020 a year.  The bottom ten percent still earns $71,210 a year, with the top ten percent earning more than $166,400.  Dental specialists work full time hours, and some include nights and weekends to meet the needs of their patients.  </P> <P>The most common procedure performed by endodontists is root canal therapy.  During the procedure, diseased tooth pulp is removed from the tooth.  The inside of the tooth is cleaned and sealed.  This is done to keep the surrounding tissue from becoming infected.  Dental infections are more serious than some people realize.  If left untreated, infections of the teeth can spread and compromise the immune system, leaving the body susceptible to other diseases that can be fatal.  An untreated infection can also become so substantial that it chokes off the patients ability to breathe, leading ultimately to the death of the patient.  </P> <P>Fortunately, advances in endodontic surgery are allowing people to keep their teeth, and allowing doctors to eliminate infections.  After a root canal procedure is attempted, if the infection remains or returns, the next step is an apicoectomy.  This kind of endodontic surgery includes the root tip of the infected tooth and the surrounding infected tissue.  If this procedure fails to stem the infection, the final step is tooth extraction.  Root canal procedures and apicoectomies cost $1000 or more without insurance.  Dental insurance cam cut the cost in half, but all policies are substantially different.  </P> <P>The ultimate goal of Endodontics is to save the infected tooth.  If the procedures fail, then extraction is necessary.  Otherwise, the infection can spread causing more serious, and even deadly, health consequences.  Finding an endodontist is usually as easy getting a referral from your general dentist.  You can also search for an endodontist in your area by contacting the American Dental Association.  If insurance is covering the cost of the procedure, then the insurance company will provide a list of participating doctors.  The procedures done by an endodontist are expensive.  Because many people choose to forego dental coverage, endodontic problems often go untreated until they begin to threaten the life of the patient.  At this point, an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon might be required to remove the teeth and infected tissue or bone and reconstruct the jaw.</P>