Endodontist Definition

An endodontist is a dentist that specializes in the care and treatment of tooth pulp--the inner parts of the tooth. Patients are referred to endodontists when their tooth pulp becomes infected.

Etymology

Endodontics is from the Greek words "endo" meaning inside and "odont" meaning tooth, as stated by the University of Southern California (USC) School of Dentistry.

History

Merriam-Webster dates the use of the word endodontics back to 1946.

Root Canal

The most common endodontic procedure to save an affected tooth is the root canal. Endodontists extracts the tooth pulp and fills the hollow tooth with a filling and sealant.

Symptoms

Symptoms of an affected tooth include tooth sensitivity to temperature, pain, tenderness and swelling.

Tooth Surgery

Endodontists may also perform surgery, when a tooth has severe damage, to attempt to save the tooth.

References

• Endodontist
• American Association of Endodontists: Patient Information
• USC School of Dentistry: Endodontics FAQ

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