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.