WHILE SOME GENERAL dentists can and do provide root canal therapy, many people prefer to visit endodontists because they have more training and experience. Endodontists have two extra years of specialized education on top of dental school, and they are typically better trained in the use of advanced technology designed for root canal therapy. They are able to streamline the process, ensure patient comfort, and produce results that a general dentist would struggle to match.
Weekly Experience Adds Up
How much more experience does an endodontist have with root canal therapy than a general dentist? According to the American Association of Endodontists, the average general dentist only performs about two root canals per week, while the average endodontist performs 25.
Endodontics Goes Beyond Root Canals
In addition to root canal therapy, endodontists can perform surgery to fix a tooth that didn’t completely heal after a root canal. They can also perform apicoectomies — surgeries that extract the tip of a tooth’s roots. While endodontists typically offer treatments that address infection and severe decay, they can also save teeth that have been cracked or damaged by injury.
