Definition

Noun: A dental specialist who focuses on diagnosing and treating diseases and injuries of the dental pulp (the soft inner tissue of a tooth) and the nerves within the tooth. This specialist primarily performs root canal therapy and related procedures to save teeth that might otherwise need to be extracted.

Usage

An endodontist is a type of dentist with advanced, specialized training. You typically see an endodontist when your general dentist refers you for a complex root canal treatment or for diagnosis of tooth pain.

Examples

• My general dentist referred me to an endodontist for a root canal on my molar.
• The endodontist used a microscope to treat the intricate root canal system.
• After the accident, I consulted an endodontist to see if the tooth could be saved.

Advanced Usage

• The field of practice is endodontics.
  • She decided to specialize in endodontics after dental school.

Variants and Related Words

• Endodontics (noun): The branch of dentistry concerned with the dental pulp and tissues surrounding the roots of a tooth.
• Endodontic (adjective): Relating to endodontics or endodontist treatment.
  • The endodontic procedure was successful.

Synonyms

• Root canal specialist (informal)
• Dental pulp specialist

Noun

1. a dentist specializing in diseases of the dental pulp and nerve