FAQ

1. 1. Endodontics is the specialty of dentistry that confronts oral diseases that affect the soft tissue within the tooth and its surrounding structures. This tissue is commonly referred to as the dental pulp or the “nerve.”

1. 1. Endodontists are specialists who undergo post-graduate training to deal specifically with this area of dentistry. They are also trained to evaluate, diagnose and treat causes of complex orofacial pain.

1. To understand endodontic therapy, it helps to understand the general anatomy of the tooth. The outermost layer is a highly mineralized structure called enamel. The layer underneath the enamel is less mineralized and is called dentin. The pulp is located at the center of the tooth. The pulp contains a combination of blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue that work together to support the overlying structures. The pulp extends from the root tip to the crown portion of the tooth and is essential for proper development. Once a tooth has matured, typically 2 to 3 years after normal eruption into the oral cavity, the pulp is no longer required for proper function.

Dental implants are the most predictable long-term treatment modality for single tooth replacement. Although our main focus here at Renovo Endodontic Studio is to save your natural teeth, there are some situations which make it unfavorable to save a natural tooth for replacement with a dental implant. A Dental implant is a replacement of the tooth root in the event that a natural tooth can no longer be saved due to pathology such as extensive decay or fracture from trauma. Implants provide a strong foundation for fixed (permanent) or removable replacement teeth that are made to match your natural teeth. The advantages to dental implants include:

1. Improved appearance
2. Improved speech and function
3. Improved oral health
4. Improved self-confidence
5. Durability and predictability

Along with dental implants, there may be some adjunct surgical procedures that may need to be done. Our team of endodontists are uniquely trained in tooth extraction and bone grafting to make the surgical site optimal to receive the future dental implant. An added advantage of a dental implant is that it keeps adjacent teeth untouched, unlike replacement of missing teeth with a bridge, for example. Additionally, our team will coordinate with your restorative dentist to ensure that the definitive restoration of your implant will fulfill the requirements of success including:

1. Maximize esthetics
2. Restore function
3. Restore bite stability

If you are a good candidate for a dental implant procedure, our team will be more than happy to discuss all phases of treatment with you so that you can be comfortable and confident in your treatment decision!

Our team of endodontists at Renovo Endodontic Studio can conveniently render this service for you at our Roscoe Village, Schaumburg, Elgin, Rockford, Water Tower Place, or Downers Grove locations.

It is widely accepted in the dental community that nothing will compare to having your natural tooth. However, there are circumstances in which the prognosis for saving a particular tooth may not result in a favorable outcome when compared to replacing the tooth with a dental implant. The team of endodontists at Renovo Endodontic Studio are trained specifically to give you an honest assessment of your unique case by conducting both a RISK:BENEFIT as well as a COST:BENEFIT analysis so that you can come up with a treatment decision that is right for you.

Although many cases may present with absolutely no symptoms, general indications for treatment include, but are not limited to: prolonged temperature sensitivity, tooth discoloration, tenderness of the tooth or surrounding gum tissue and swelling.

Usually when you have tooth pain, it is your body’s way of telling you that something may be wrong and that it may benefit you to have it evaluated. However, just because you don’t have pain does not necessarily mean that nothing is going on (such as a “dead nerve”). This is also why it is very important to have regular checkups with your general dentist so that tooth pathology can be detected before it becomes a larger problem.

The sole purpose of endodontic treatment is to remove bacteria that cause inflammation and infection. With the advent of modern techniques and current best evidence, most root canal therapy can be completed in one visit. After completion of treatment, a proper, long-term restoration that seals against re-contamination may be required by your general dentist.

Although the effects of radiation exposure are generally considered permanent, our advanced technologies permit us to emit the lowest possible radiation dosage necessary in order to obtain the information necessary to diagnose and treat your case. Our current digital systems will emit approximately 85–90% less radiation than traditional analog systems.

Thanks to today’s anesthetics, most procedures cause no pain. The best predictor of post-procedural pain is pre-procedural pain. If the patient experiences post-procedural pain, it will peak in 1–2 days and continuously dissipate thereafter. We implement all necessary steps in order to manage post-procedural discomfort. This sometimes includes, but is not limited to, the use of anti-inflammatory medications.

No. Antibiotics will never cure a pathologic tooth that is either irreversibly inflamed or infected. The reason for this is that when a tooth is infected, the blood vasculature coursing into the tooth will be compromised. Although antibiotics are effective, there is no way for the body to transport the necessary medication into the tooth where it can be effective. Therefore, you must contact one of our team of endodontists to do for you what your body cannot do for itself.

When you leave our office, treatment on your tooth will NOT be completed. You will need to return to your general dentist in order to have the permanent restoration placed. It is only then (and in conjunction with your thorough hygiene) that long-term success can be ensured for your tooth. In order to ensure that you are receiving the best treatment available, we always recommend follow-up appointments to ensure that the treatment rendered was successful. Typical follow-up times are at six months and one year but may vary depending on the scope of treatment.

In most cases, the same local anesthetic is used just as if you were to receive general dental work such as fillings. The anesthetic generally lasts for one to three hours but should not affect overall cognitive abilities. Surgeries involve an extended healing time and may require rest for the remainder of the day. Each case is different, and post-operative care will be thoroughly explained on the day of treatment.

There is no concrete evidence to support a clear cause-and-effect relationship between tooth infection and systemic disease. There is evidence to support that people without root canal treated teeth may be equally susceptible to system disease as those that have root canal treated teeth.