As a practice specializing in endodontic care, Dr. Deborah Bishop and her skilled team are dedicated to partnering with patients to relieve discomfort and improve dental health. We take the time to carefully examine our patient’s area of concern to offer a complete and accurate diagnosis. Most importantly, we go through the entire area for concern, treatment options, and discomfort relief techniques carefully. We believe an informed patient will make the best choices for their oral health, so we do our utmost to make sure patients have the whole picture before we begin treatment. Our team cares about the individual needs of each patient and we will care for each one with respect and honesty.
An endodontist focuses on treatments that deal with inside of the tooth. In fact, endo is a Latin word that means inside and odont is a Latin word meaning tooth, so all the information you need is right there in the name. The most common procedures performed by endodontists are root canals.
Root canals are pain relieving procedures necessary when decay or damage reaches the innermost tooth layer. Known as pulp, this inner layer houses the nerve system. There are more than 14 million successful procedures performed in the US annually. By choosing endodontic treatment, you are choosing to keep your natural teeth as a healthy foundation for chewing and biting for years to come.
We use local anesthesia to numb the area around the tooth, making the treatment itself very comfortable. The toothache that precedes root canal therapy is relieved following the treatment, and over the counter pain relievers such as Advil Liquid Gel capsules (ibuprofen) or Tylenol Rapid Release tablets (acetaminophen) control discomfort during healing.
Working on the insides of teeth requires a precise hand and a keen eye. That is why Dr. Bishop was the first endodontist in the state to incorporate the use of surgical operating microscopes into her endodontic practice. By magnifying and lighting the interior structures of damaged teeth, Dr. Bishop’s endodontic microscopes provide the support she needs to provide safe and effective treatments.
When a tooth is infected, the blood supply (pulp) running through the tooth is affected as well. As a result, there is no way to conduct the antibiotics to the needed area. They do however, assist in controlling and eliminating infection in the surrounding bone before and after root canal therapy.
Is there anything else you’d like to know about our practice or what you can generally expect when you visit your endodontist in Huntsville? Feel free to reach out to us at any time; our team will be more than happy to answer any questions you might have before your appointment with Dr. Bishop! To help you get started, please check the FAQs below to see if we’ve already addressed your concerns here.
To become an endodontist, first one needs to earn a Doctor of Dental Medicine or a Doctor of Dental Sciences from one of the 67 accredited dental schools in the United States. It takes 4 years of dental school to earn one of these degrees, and afterward the candidate needs to complete a two-to-three year endodontic residency program that provides hands-on and clinical endodontic training. Then, after completing an exam and becoming board-certified, they are officially recognized as an endodontist.
The exact cost of root canal therapy isn’t set in stone. It depends on which tooth is being treated; for example, a root canal for the front teeth has a lower cost than one for the molars. Other factors can affect the amount you pay as well, such as whether you need a crown to restore the tooth afterward.
Our team will always be upfront with you about the costs involved with root canal therapy or other endodontic procedures. We can also assist you with your dental insurance claims or with applying for CareCredit financing so that you can fit the cost of care into your budget more easily.
Many of our patients come to us due to an emergency such as a severe toothache. We encourage you to call our office right away if you think you need endodontic care. Our team will make arrangements to see you as quickly as possible, and they can even give you tips for managing your discomfort and protecting your tooth until your appointment. Do not delay if you think you need emergency care; tooth infections and other oral health issues will only get worse over time, possibly causing you to lose a tooth that could have been saved.
When choosing an endodontic practice, you’ll want to check to see if they’ll take your insurance, whether they’re located close to your home or workplace, and what kind of services they provide. Online Google reviews can be a great way to find out what the practice is like from a patient’s perspective. Our practice is happy to accept various dental plans, we pride ourselves in having a very convenient location, and we’re happy to offer a wide range of endodontic services. Feel free to explore our website or reach out to us today if you’d like to learn more about what our practice has to offer.