Traumatic dental injuries occur far too often and can have devastating, life long effects. Endodontists like Drs. Rick Davis and Rick Schwartz at Endodontic Consultants of San Antonio are the dentists best suited to treat traumatic injuries to the teeth. They have advanced training and extensive experience in this area. In many cases there are specific protocols for treating injured teeth that must be followed to the letter to achieve optimal treatment results. Drs. Davis and Schwartz also have an array of technologies to aid them in treatment and patients travel from all over South Texas to San Antonio for their care.
Root Formation and Damage
A tooth’s roots anchor it in bone. Starting at a young age, our roots gradually become stronger throughout life as the root canals become smaller. This process can be stopped due to trauma or conditions, such as dental decay or periodontal infections, and can interfere with healthy root development.
Treatment Options
Prompt treatment is essential, especially for pediatric patients. Children’s teeth are in the early stages of development. In many cases our goal is to keep the pulp (nerve) alive to allow the tooth to continue to develop normally. As a general principle, we aim to preserve children’s teeth for as long as possible. Even with severely damaged teeth we attempt to preserve them at least into their 20s. At this stage, quality options for tooth replacement become available such as an implant or bridge.
Depending on their findings at the initial examination, Drs. Davis and Schwartz might recommend one of the following procedures:
- Direct pulp cap
- Indirect pulp cap
- Partial pulpectomy
- Pulpal regeneration
- Apexification
Importance of Prompt Treatment
Generally, we want to address traumatic dental injuries as soon as possible to treat the injuries properly and reduce the risk of tooth loss. This will allow us to promote healthy root development when that is an option. Endodontists are the dental professionals with the best training and technologies to offer the advanced treatments listed here. Our specialty team can preserve your teeth for a lifetime. Even with dramatic advancements in dentistry, no tooth is as durable, functional, and attractive as a healthy natural tooth. Call (210) 405-0473 for more information and to schedule an appointment at our office in San Antonio, Texas.
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.
Dr. Zhangrui Liang, DDS, MS
Dr. Zhangrui “Zac” Liang, DDS, MS, grew up in China and has been in the US since 2015. He attended dental school in China and did his endodontic training at
UCLA, where he also received a Masters of Science degree. He has practiced with Dr. Davis and Dr. Schwartz since 2022.
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