Endodontists in Beverly Hills CA
Medically reviewed by Dr. Kayla Lebeau, DDS
The specialty that saves teeth other people would remove
Endodontics is the treatment of the inside of the tooth, the pulp, the nerve, and the canals running down each root. When that tissue becomes inflamed or infected, the choice is to clean it out and keep the tooth, or to take the tooth out.
Keeping it is nearly always the better outcome. No implant, bridge or denture works as well as a natural root that is still in your jaw doing its job.
- GoalKeep the natural tooth
- Usually takes1 to 2 visits
- NumbingLocal anesthetic, sedation available
- Imaging3D scanning for complex root anatomy
Endodontic treatment is considered when
- A tooth throbs, or wakes you at night
- Pain lingers for more than a few seconds after something hot or cold
- A tooth has darkened compared with its neighbors
- There is a bump or pimple on the gum near a tooth. See abscess
- A tooth is tender to bite on, or has cracked
- A previous root canal has not settled and the symptoms have returned
What endodontic treatment covers
- Root canal treatment. The main procedure. Infected pulp removed, canals cleaned, shaped, disinfected and sealed.
- Retreatment. When a previous root canal has failed. Often a canal was missed, or bacteria have leaked back in past a failing filling. Retreatment reopens the tooth, removes the old material and starts again.
- Apicoectomy. Minor surgery at the root tip, used when infection persists at the end of the root and retreatment through the crown is not possible or has not worked.
- Treating a cracked tooth. Assessing whether a crack is confined to the crown, in which case the tooth can be saved, or has extended into the root, in which case it cannot.
- Traumatic injuries. A knocked-out or displaced tooth almost always needs endodontic care afterwards.
- DiagnosisTesting how the tooth responds to cold and to pressure, and comparing it with its neighbors. The tooth that hurts is not always the tooth that is the problem. Pain refers along the jaw, and treating the wrong tooth is a real risk without proper testing.
- ImagingX-rays, and a 3D scan where root anatomy is complicated. Molars frequently have an extra canal that does not show on a flat X-ray, and a missed canal is the most common reason treatment fails.
- Treatment under isolationA rubber dam keeps the tooth completely dry and sterile. This is not optional in endodontics. Saliva reintroduces the bacteria you have spent an hour removing.
- Cleaning and sealingCanals cleaned, shaped, disinfected and then filled to the tip so nothing can recolonize.
- Protecting the tooth afterwardsA back tooth that has had root canal treatment is more brittle and usually needs a crown. Skipping that step is the second most common reason these teeth are eventually lost.
When a tooth cannot be saved
We will tell you plainly. A tooth split vertically into the root, one with no sound structure left above the bone, or one where the supporting bone has been destroyed by gum disease, is not saved by root canal treatment. In those cases the honest answer is removal and a plan to replace it.
What we will not do is treat a tooth that has no future in order to avoid a difficult conversation.
Is root canal treatment as bad as people say?
No, and the reputation is decades out of date. With modern anesthetic and instruments most people find it comparable to having a large filling. The pain people associate with it is the infection beforehand, which is what the treatment relieves.
Can a failed root canal be fixed?
Frequently, yes. Retreatment succeeds in the majority of cases, and where it cannot, surgery at the root tip is often possible. Extraction is the last option, not the second one.
How successful is it?
High. Well above 90% for a first-time treatment on a tooth that is otherwise sound and properly restored afterwards. The restoration on top matters as much as the root filling itself.
Will the tooth go dark?
A front tooth can discolor after treatment. Internal whitening usually corrects it, and a veneer or crown is the alternative.
How long will it last?
A well-treated and properly crowned tooth can last the rest of your life. It is not a temporary measure.
Why do I need a crown afterwards?
Because the tooth has lost internal structure and is more prone to splitting. A crown holds it together, and a vertical split is not repairable.
Find out whether your tooth can be kept
- (310) 860-6969Someone here answers.
- Request a visitWe will call to confirm.
- Pick a time onlineChoose your own slot.
What endodontic care adds
Endodontics is treatment of the inside of the tooth, the pulp, the canals, and the tissue at the root tip. Most root canals are done well in general practice. The reasons to bring specialist-level technique to one are specific:
- Complex anatomy. Curved, calcified or extra canals. Upper molars frequently have a fourth canal that is easy to miss, and missing it is a common reason a root canal fails.
- Retreatment. Reopening a tooth treated years ago that has become symptomatic again.
- Trauma. A knocked-out or fractured tooth where the nerve is involved.
- Unresolved diagnosis. Pain that cannot be pinned to a particular tooth, where a CT scan and careful testing are needed.
- Apicoectomy. Minor surgery at the root tip when retreatment through the crown is not possible.
The two things that matter most are unglamorous: magnification, so the canal can actually be seen, and a rubber dam, so saliva never gets into it.
