Root canals are a sensitive issue.  Here at Glendale Dental Arts we understand your needs, and we believe accurate and efficient treatment is key.  That's why we provide easy and immediate access to a specialist for anyone who should need it. We focus on getting the job done with the utmost consideration to comfort and care.

Endodontics is the branch of dentistry dealing with root canals -- the natural canals in our teeth that house the very important but highly sensitive tissue we call the nerve.  When this tissue becomes damaged or infected, root canal treatment is necessary.

The complexity of the root canal system inside a tooth can vary widely.  Some teeth have only one root canal, some have 2, 3, or 4.  Some canals are straight and wide.  Some are curved and narrow.  Very often a root canal can have many branches, like the branches of a tree.

Although both general dentists and specialists can perform root canal treatment, the general dentist decides who should actually perform the treatment.  It takes experience, talent, and humility to recognize a potentially complex root canal that might not seem so complex on the x-ray.

Specialists are trained and skilled in overcoming the sharp twists and tight turns that root canals can make.  They have advanced tools enabling them to make highly accurate diagnoses, decipher obscurities, and bypass obstacles in root canals.  They are also the experts when it comes to handling infections and abscesses, and possess special surgical skills for tackling the toughest situations.

Microsurgery (also called apico-retro) is an approach to deal with stubborn abscesses or malformed root tips from the "back door" when standard root canal treatment cannot succeed.  This diagnosis and decision is made by the specialist.