18
Aug
Dentist vs. Endodontist: Understanding the Difference
You may not be familiar with the field of endodontics, but if you’re suffering from a tooth injury or infection, an endodontist just might be your best bet to save your tooth and relieve your pain.
General dentists and endodontists are both dental care professionals. Not all dentists are qualified endodontists, but all endodontists are qualified dentists.
Endodontists are specialized dentists who complete two additional years of training to treat concerns related to the interior of the tooth. Endodontists can remove damaged dental pulp and address issues such as tooth disease and gum inflammation.
At Endodontic Consultants of San Antonio in San Antonio, Texas, Dr. Rick Davis and Dr. Rick Schwartz have years of experience with root canals, dental injuries, and other endodontic concerns.
What does endodontics treat?
Endodontics is a branch of dentistry that targets the issues surrounding your dental pulp and tooth roots. Endodontic training focuses on diagnosing problems affecting the inner part of the tooth that contains the nerves, cells, and blood vessels that are responsible for your oral health.
Dentists perform extractions of diseased teeth and replace them with artificial ones, but endodontists are focused on saving your natural teeth.
When do you need a dentist versus an endodontist?
Your primary source of dental care and advice is usually a general dentist. They offer preventive care, like routine teeth cleanings, and can diagnose and treat a wide variety of issues, like cavities.
If you suffer a dental injury that involves damage to your dental pulp, or you require a complicated root canal, your dentist is likely to refer you to an endodontist. An endodontist may perform up to 1,000 root canals a year and has the skills to deal with the most difficult cases.
Here at Endodontic Consultants of San Antonio, we have the expertise and technology to find answers to hard-to-diagnose oral or facial pain and can perform specialized procedures to help relieve your discomfort.
Should you see an endodontist?
If you experience any of the following, make an appointment with our team at Endodontic Consultants of San Antonio:
- Chipped or cracked teeth
- Sudden tooth sensitivity to hot or cold
- Swelling, tenderness, or bleeding around gums
- Tooth decay or discoloration
- Infected or irritated dental pulp
We also treat more uncommon conditions, such as:
- Tooth ankylosis, where the tooth root is permanently attached to the jawbone
- Root resorption, where essential tooth structures are progressively lost
- Root fractures, where the tooth and root structures are split
Whatever the cause of your pain, we can diagnose your condition and offer treatment options that restore your health and retain your natural teeth if possible.
If you’re suffering from sensitive teeth, swollen gums, oral pain, or tooth discoloration, contact Endodontic Consultants of San Antonio to get the relief you deserve. Call our office at (210) 405-0473 or book an appointment online today.
Dr. Richard Davis, DDS
Richard D. Davis, DDS, graduated from high school in Japan, attended the University of Washington dental school, and joined the Air Force as a general dentist in 1978. He completed the Air Force one-year AEGD residency, a two-year Advanced General Dentistry Residency, and a fellowship in biomaterials at the University of Indiana. Dr. Davis was a clinical instructor, research director, and lecturer at the Air Force. He has published many scientific articles and research papers, and has lectured on many topics. Following retirement from the Air Force in 1999, he completed the graduate program in endodontics at the University of Oregon in 2001, and joined Dr. Schwartz and has been in private practice in endodontics since then.
Dr. Richard Schwartz, DDS
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Richard S. Schwartz, DDS, graduated from the University of Minnesota dental school in 1977. He was a restorative dentist for 19 years: Early in his career, he attended a two-year general dentistry residency while in the US Air Force, and then did a combination of private practice, teaching, and dental materials research before entering endodontic post-graduate training in 1996. He has authored over 100 articles and abstracts in scientific journals and lectured extensively in the US and in 21 other countries, including 12 times at the American Association of Endodontists’ national meeting. Since 1998 Dr. Schwartz has been in full-time private practice in endodontics in San Antonio, TX, and has practiced with Dr. Davis since 2001. He was a founding member and first secretary/treasurer of the International Association of Endodontics. He is also a member of the American Dental Association and International Association of Dental Specialists.
