A dental treatment is quite different from endodontics treatment since the former is quite simple, and a simple practitioner can get it done. However, in the case of endodontic treatment, only a skilled professional is able to do it. The former is merely associated with the cleaning of your tooth, and sometimes filling is also a part of it. But endodontics treatment deals mainly with the pulp present inside your teeth, and save your infected or damaged tooth from bacteria, tooth decay and other such things.
Let’s take a look at some of the major differences between the two and see which one is more efficient.
What does Endodontics Treatment Involve?
The pulp present inside your tooth is directly attacked by bacteria whenever you use sugary drinks or foods in excess. As a result of this, dental caries starts to form, which may lead to various other issues such as toothache. And if you ignore it for a long, it can prove to be fatal as well. So, it’s better to visit a dentist as soon as possible. However, since root canal treatment is needed for this purpose, only an experienced professional can do it. So, the dentist refers to an endodontist who knows how to play with the pulp part and how to disinfect the damaged tooth.
Not like a dentist can’t get the job done in this regard; it’s just that their expertise in it isn’t that much. They perform dental root canal therapy twice or thrice a week while an endodontist performs it regularly, which makes the latter a better choice. Endodontics treatment involves the use of modern technology and equipment that will perform the treatment in a pain-free manner, with the use of anesthesia and other medications that save you from any kind of pain.
An endodontist doesn’t have patients all the time, so he/she may give you more time than a normal doctor or practitioner can. And the level of training they receive after their dental school, you can trust them blindly and let them cure your teeth.
What does a Dental Treatment Involve?
A simple dental treatment doesn’t involve any kind of complexity and you can visit a dentist for filling or cleaning purposes. The only good thing is that they charge you less and offer treatment in the meantime. But if the case is severe, it’s up to them, whether they want to treat it by themselves or ask you to go to a specialist for this purpose.
If we talk about major difference between the two, your general dentist will refer you to an endodontist in the first place if the issue is with your root and pulp or if there is any severe injury. Apart from providing “Root Canal Therapy”, endodontists specialize in surgeries required for fixing teeth that didn’t heal even after a root canal. So, whether it is about saving teeth that were damaged because of a severe injury or you want some help about preserving the functioning of them, there is no better option than endodontics.
Whom to Visit if you have a Toothache?
The other one is the permanent one which happens when you have just got a treatment or if you are yet to get a treatment to get rid of dental caries. These are severe issues and can only be treated by specialists of the field who know how to get the job done perfectly.
All in all, both dentists and endodontists are “Dental Care Specialists”, and there is no denying that each of them has their own strong points. However, you can only visit one at a time since you don’t want to distract yourself in your time of need. You may be reading this because your dentist has referred you to an endodontist.
As mentioned earlier, an endodontist is a specialist. It is also important to note while considering the difference between endodontic treatment and dental treatment that some of the areas of practice for both of them overlap, and treating sensitive teeth is one of them. But since these treatments are for different dental issues, they aren’t the same. You won’t see an endodontist placing the filling, dental crowning or cleaning the teeth of a patient, but dentists happily do that because it’s a part of their job.
The additional training of endodontists is all about letting them know how to perform endodontic treatments and other such things associated with the tooth’s interior part and pulp as well. In most of cases, only a skilled professional offering an endodontic treatment can save your diseased teeth. For the same reason, you’ll find endodontists calling themselves “Teeth Savers” which is quite true. So, it’s quite important to understand the reason behind the pain you’re going through so that you may contact the relevant person to visit.
Difference Between an Endodontic Treatment and Dental Treatment in terms of Benefits
If we talk about benefits, both these treatments work well enough. However, following are some of the considerations you must take into account.
● Shorter Appointments
If someone is a master of one skill, they will be able to do it quickly and efficiently since he does it on a regular basis. Similar is the case here. A general practitioner performs certain treatments twice a week while a specialist does it quite often. So, you must visit the one who you think can do it better for you.
● Relieving Pain
As mentioned earlier, endodontists are really good at pain management. They don’t make such treatments look difficult or painful by making sure that the patient will feel secure and safe even after the treatment. And the equipment they use makes it really easy for them to offer relief to the patients. Nowadays, the use of Lasers is also common. The most important benefit of them is that they are effective, less painful and quiet as well. So, it is better to go for this option as long as you are not afraid of falling prey to the same disease or issue again. Overall, pain management is what endodontists are really good at.
● Considering Referrals
Patients who are in pain or suffering from pain blindly trust the dentist and ask them to perform the treatment as soon as possible. And it’s quite normal; no one is there to earn money at the expense of someone’s life. But if the dentist is ready and has practised a lot for it, there is no shame in telling him to do the same thing. So, it’s all about whether the dentist considers referrals or not.
Conclusion
Both dental and endodontics treatments are essential to keep your teeth safe and sound. Try not to ignore the issue associated with your teeth, not even the smallest ones. Or else, you may end up losing your teeth which isn’t what you want.