Endodontics

Endodontist

An endodontist operating on his patient.
Occupation
Occupation type	Specialty
Activity sectors	Dentistry
Description
Education required	dental degree
Related jobs	Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Endodontics (from the Greek roots endo- "inside" and odont- "tooth") is the dental specialty concerned with the study and treatment of the dental pulp. Endodontists perform a variety of procedures including endodontic therapy (commonly known as "root canal therapy"), endodontic retreatment, surgery, treating cracked teeth, and treating dental trauma. Root canal therapy is one of the most common procedures. If the dental pulp (containing nerves, arterioles, venules, lymphatic tissue, and fibrous tissue) becomes diseased or injured, endodontic treatment is required to save the tooth. Endodontics is recognized as a specialty by many national dental organizations including the British General Dental Council, American Dental Association, Royal College of Dentists of Canada, Indian Dental Association, and Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons.

Training

USA

In the United States after finishing a dental degree, a dentist must undergo 2-3 additional years of postgraduate training to become an Endodontist. American Dental Association (CODA) accredited programs are a minimum of two years in length. Following successful completion of this training the dentist becomes Board eligible to sit for the American Board of Endodontics examination. Successful completion of board certification results in Diplomate status in the American Board of Endodontics. Although general dentists can perform endodontic treatment, there are several things which set endodontists apart. Endodontists use microscopes during treatment to better treat the small internal anatomy of teeth without taking away too much tooth structure, or causing iatrogenic damage. Also, endodontists use CBCT (3D imaging) to assess case difficulty and for diagnosis and treatment planning of endodontic cases. The overall dental care of patients is improved with an endodontist on the dental team.

Egypt

In Egypt, the students need at least 3 years of post-graduating programs (master's degree).

See also

• Root canal
• Regenerative endodontics
• Dental implant
• Endodontic therapy
• Journal of Endodontics
• Oral surgery
• American Association of Endodontists
• Ralph Frederick Sommer, an early developer of endodontics

External links

Organizations

• American Association of Endodontists
• American Board of Endodontics
• British Endodontic Society
• Canadian Academy of Endodontics
• European Society of Endodontology
• International Federation of Endodontic Associations
• Indian Association of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics

Publications

• Journal of Endodontics Research (JofER)
• International Endodontic Journal