A severe toothache can make your life miserable. It causes unbearable irritation and throbbing pain, which can interfere with your daily activities. If severe, it can also lead to ear pain because the nerve for teeth and ears is the same at the base, and pain signals can end up intermixing with each other. Living with a toothache can be very disturbing. Your everyday life is extremely affected due to tooth pain. Working in this scenario is impossible because your mind is always diverted toward the radiating pain in your teeth and sometimes causing a headache.

This kind of condition can lead to a painkiller-dependent life, and if left untreated for a very long time, it can end up permanently damaging your teeth. Painkillers can provide immediate relief from pain but are no permanent treatment for toothache, as the pain will come back right after the painkillers’ effect wears off. Taking huge amounts of painkillers like acetaminophen, the most commonly used OTC drug for pain management, can lead to liver failure and certain other pathological conditions. So avoiding painkillers and getting treated for your tooth condition is the right way to go.

Endodontists are highly trained and experienced dentists who deal with the tooth pulp. Tooth pulp is what dental providers call the nerves, blood vessels, and other tissues deep inside each tooth. Endodontists are professionals who perform root canals and are highly skilled in performing these procedures. Their main skill is at diagnosing pain and treating it at the core. They perform teeth tissue treatment and repair tissues inside your teeth, relieving you of any tooth pain. In case you were wondering, dentists and endodontists are different in their training. After dental school, the endodontist has to do an extensive 2 years practice in root canals and tooth pulp and root procedures until they become extremely professional at it. To be precise, only about 3 percent of dentists in the United States are endodontists.

Why Do I Need To See An Endodontist? If your teeth are hurting badly and the pain is unbearable, it is time to see a dentist. You will be referred to an endodontist if your tooth condition is bad and out of the control of your regular dentist. Tooth decay can have different signs and symptoms, you can call an endodontist if you have: -Lingering tooth pain -Unexplained pain in your mouth or jaw -Teeth that are sensitive to heat, cold, or sweet foods -Inflammation (swelling) near affected teeth or gums

Sometimes conditions can get very bad, and the scenario can turn to the worst, like having a tooth abscess can be the cause of pain. These kinds of conditions, if left untreated, can be life-threatening. Infections can lead to toxins production, these toxins often cause blood poisoning. In some cases, the microorganisms can come in contact with the blood of the patient, causing sepsis. This can further worsen the condition by traveling to sterile vital organs like the kidney or brain, leading to life-threatening situations like meningitis. If you have the symptoms of infection, along with a toothache, you should make an appointment with your endodontist as soon as possible. The symptoms of infection include fever, difficulty breathing or swallowing, and redness or swelling in your mouth that expands to your cheek.

For root canal procedures, endodontists have a lot of experience, making them a great choice. They spend most of their time doing these treatments. A typical dentist might only do an occasional root canal, while an endodontist can do 25 in one week. There are extreme cases when it’s obvious to a dentist that the work should be done by an endodontist. For less serious instances, it is up to the patient. Since dentists have the skills necessary for a basic root canal, factors like cost and working with someone they know and trust become the deciding factors.

Endodontic specialists are also experts in diagnosing non-specific pain. Sometimes a patient’s tooth discomfort can be hard to explain to the dentist. The dentist might not be able to find any problem during an exam. An endodontist’s experience, combined with sophisticated equipment such as ultrasonic instruments and 3D X-rays, often gives them an edge when it comes to pinpointing exactly where the pain is coming from.

What Procedures Does An Endodontist Perform? Endodontists perform treatment of tooth pulp and root. They diagnose and treat underlying conditions that are causing severe toothaches. Their expertise helps them diagnose complex conditions. Endodontists have expertise in root canal procedures. They are the professionals you go to for a complex procedure like tooth tissue repair or nerve ending management.

Root canal treatment is done by an endodontist, during a root canal procedure, your endodontist: -Places a dental dam (tiny tarp) over your tooth to isolate the affected area and protect your mouth, such as from infection. -Accesses the pulp tissue from the top or behind your affected tooth, preserving the overall aesthetics of the tooth and, at the same time, making you pain-free. -Removes damaged or diseased pulp tissue, which was causing pain or fever. -Cleans and disinfects the area inside the tooth so that no further tooth treatment-related issues are experienced. -Fills and seals the tooth.

Can You See An Endodontist Without A Referral? Yes, you can see an endodontist without a referral. Generally, people go to their dentists for small procedures like tooth cleaning or a normal toothache. If somehow, you are not able to get an appointment with your dentist, you must not wait for long because the condition can be something serious, and leaving it unattended can be lethal. A normal toothache or any other minor ailment is not of concern as you can wait for when you get in touch with your dentist, however if you have a severe toothache; fever; pain radiating to your ear and head; difficulty breathing or swallowing; inflammation; or redness around the gums or on the face, you should immediately see an endodontist as soon as possible.