Washington, D.C. (DC) Endodontics Physicians and Dentists

Endodontics is a branch of dentistry that specializes in the prevention and treatment of diseases of the root pulp and related structures–dental pulp, root canal, blood vessels, and nerves. Dental pulp supplies blood to a tooth and allows you to feel sensations such as temperature.

Endodontists are dentists who focus on disorders of the dental pulp and specialize in treatments such as root canals to save teeth. While a general dentist may perform simple root canals on single root teeth, an endodontist specializes in root canals on teeth with more than one canal, such as molars, or teeth with narrow or blocked canals or unusual anatomy. Because they limit their practices to endodontics, they treat these types of problems every day. An endodontist may use advanced technology including operating microscopes, ultrasonics, and digital imagining.

Endodontics is a recognized American Dental Association specialty of dentistry and requires at least two additional years of advanced specialty education in diagnosis and root canal treatment. A root canal is a dental procedure to remove dead or dying nerve tissue (root pulp) and bacteria from inside a tooth. Once an affected tooth's canals are sufficiently cleansed and shaped, they are filled with materials designed to prevent pain and infection from recurring. Once the tooth is filled, a permanent crown may be placed on top.