Why You Should Choose an Endodontist for Your Root Canal Treatment
Although preparing yourself for root canal treatment may seem like a daunting task, with the right help, it does not have to be. Root canals are often thought of as one of the worst experiences a person can have in a dental chair. In reality, they are almost always easy, pain-free, and relatively quick. This is especially true when you choose a specialist for your treatment.
Endodontists are dentists who have received additional training in the field of “endodontics,” which essentially translates to “inside the tooth.” After completing 4 years of dental school, endodontists must then complete 2 to 3 years of additional, post-graduate training. Endodontic specialty programs are highly competitive and generally accept only top dental graduates.
While it is true that general dentists are trained to perform root canals—and many general dentists perform them every day—there are numerous advantages to choosing an endodontist.
· Experience. General dentists perform all types of dental treatment, from basic fillings to crowns and bridges to dentures, veneers, and more. Endodontists, on the other hand, limit their practice solely to root canal treatment. While general dentists may perform a few root canals each week, a typical endodontist performs several every day. This type of experience is invaluable when it comes to a highly technical procedure such as root canal treatment.
· Expertise. As mentioned, endodontists have additional levels of training that go above and beyond that of a normal dentist. But since they limit their practice to root canals, they continuously engage in continuing education courses that further their skill and keep them at the forefront of root canal technology. For general dentists, this is not usually the case.
Equipment and Technology. In the “old days” of dentistry, there were not any sophisticated tools for completing root canal treatments, either for endodontists or general dentists. But that is no longer the case. Specialized equipment and high-powered microscopes allow practitioners to complete root canals with greater efficiency and precision than ever before. For general dentists, however, these high-powered tools are often not a good investment since they do a limited number of root canals. For endodontists, however, who do them every day, these tools are indispensable and a central aspect of their practice. This is just one more advantage of choosing an endodontist for your root canal treatment.
There is no debating that general dentists are qualified to perform root canals, but there is also no debating that endodontists are more skilled, more experienced, more highly trained to do so. That being the case, wouldn’t you prefer to have your treatment performed by a doctor with the utmost expertise? If so, choose an endodontist.
