WHY HAVE I BEEN REFERRED TO AN ENDODONTIST FOR MY ROOT FILLING?
All dentists, including your dentist, can carry out root canal treatment. However, some teeth are more difficult to treat than others (perhaps because of their position, accessibility or the size of the root canals). In such cases, specialised equipment and expertise is required for successful treatment.
An endodontist is a qualified dentist who has then undergone advanced training in Endodontics (root canal treatment). In Michael’s case, he has undertaken a Master of Science degree in Endodontics in 1991 from Guy’s Dental Hospital.
The General Dental Council (the dentists’ governing body) have created a Specialist Register in Endodontics for those endodontists who have sufficient post-graduate training and experience.
Your dentist has therefore asked one of us to carry out the root treatment because he/she believes that your case has the best chance to be successfully, efficiently and painlessly treated by a Specialist in Endodontics.
Endodontists do not practice routine dentistry as the surgery is equipped with different specialised equipment from a general dental practice, hence the reason that Michael does not do crowns or fillings on the teeth that have been root treated. He will send a report together with a copy of your digital radiograph to your referring dentist who will know exactly what Michael has done.
Your dentist then resumes your dental care, initially by restoring the tooth that has been endodontically treated with a crown or filling (whatever is appropriate).
This should be carried out within 2-3 weeks of completion of the endodontic treatment. This protects the tooth and restores it to full function.
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