Endodontics is a branch of dentistry designed to care for the pulp and tissues within the root of a tooth. The pulp contains the life force of the tooth including the connective tissues, nerve endings, and blood vessels of the tooth. If for any reason it is damaged, it will need to be carefully extracted to ensure the tooth can still function.
If a tooth has suffered from pulp infection, an endodontics treatment such as a root canal therapy will be needed. Endodontics specializes in pulps as it is a branch of dentistry designed to save damaged and broken teeth. Endodontists receive an additional 2 years of advanced training past medical school to allow them to perform complex medical procedures and surgeries that otherwise would require tooth extraction. Through the use of a complex treatment such as a root canal, endodontic treatments may allow teeth to function properly even after their pulps have been removed. Each year in the United States, endodontist save millions of teeth for numerous endodontics surgeries and treatments including root canals.