Endodontist vs. Dentist: Which to Choose?

When you have tooth pain, dentists and endodontists can provide treatment that relieves the discomfort and prevents additional problems from occurring down the road.

However, there are certain differences between the treatments that dentists and endodontists offer. Understanding how these treatments differ is important to ensure you receive proper care to ease your tooth pain.

Treatments by a Dentist

Dentists provide a wide range of services to help people maintain healthy teeth and gums, such as cleanings, X-rays, and exams.

They also perform root canal procedures and other treatments when patients have tooth decay or are experiencing other types of tooth problems. For example, dentists can do tooth extractions for advanced decay or provide fillings for more minor cases of decay. Some dentists also provide cosmetic procedures, such as teeth whitening or veneers.

When dentists determine that a patient needs a root canal, they might perform the procedure at the office. However, some dentists refer patients to an endodontist instead. While dentists can perform root canals, they’re not considered specialists for this type of treatment.

Dentists know the foundations of these procedures since they receive basic endodontic training, but endodontists have much more advanced training.

Treatments by an Endodontist

Endodontists specialize in diagnosing the causes of tooth pain and providing root canals or other endodontic procedures as treatment.

Root canals are among the most common procedures that endodontists perform. A root canal involves removing decayed or diseased pulp from the interior of the affected tooth, then filling it in and placing a cap or crown on it.

Endodontists do this to relieve discomfort caused by tooth decay and prevent it from worsening. This procedure also aims to preserve the natural tooth so patients don’t need to have it extracted and replaced.

Benefits of Seeing an Endodontist for a Root Canal

Although both dentists and endodontists can perform root canals, there are important advantages to seeing an endodontist for this type of treatment. These benefits include the following:

Specialized Care

Endodontists do not provide cleanings, fillings, and other types of dental care as dentists do. Instead, they focus solely on providing treatments that deal with the interior of a decayed or diseased tooth.

Having this type of specialized care means endodontists perform root canals more frequently than dentists, giving them much more root canal experience compared to dentists. In general, dentists might only perform a couple of root canals per week, while endodontists typically perform around 25 root canals every week.

Advanced Endodontic Equipment

Since endodontists specialize in performing root canals and similar types of treatment, they typically have more advanced equipment, technology, and tools available. This equipment often includes lasers or ultrasound instrumentation that offers more accuracy during the procedure.

Endodontists might also have 3D or digital imaging technology for more detailed information about the affected area. Using this advanced equipment helps ensure that endodontists can do root canals properly, safely, and successfully.

Advanced Endodontic Education

While dentists receive some training in endodontics at dental school, endodontists receive a much more advanced education regarding all things related to tooth pain.

After receiving their basic dental training, endodontists are also required to have up to three years of training specifically in endodontics. This education provides them with a more in-depth understanding and knowledge of the diseases and conditions that affect the interior of teeth, as well as the types of procedures used as treatment. Some endodontists also seek membership with the American Association of Endodontists, and have chosen to become Diplomates of the AAE, and are “Board-certified.”

With this training under their belt, endodontists can perform more complex root canals as needed. Dentists usually don’t have this kind of knowledge or experience.

Prompt Care

Patients who go to a dentist for a root canal might have to wait to for the procedure based on availability since dentists see many other patients and provide several other services. Those who see an endodontist for a root canal can usually have an emergency procedure done quickly without having to wait.

If you need endodontic care, book an appointment with our board-certified endodontist. We offer all aspects of endodontics, including root canals, to help improve your oral health and ease tooth your pain.