To understand more about why endodontic treatment is necessary, it helps if you have a basic understanding about your teeth. For starters, humans have 32 teeth: 8 incisors, 4 canines, 8 premolars, and 8 molars. In most cases, it is usually the molars that are prone to requiring endodontic treatment because they are so far in the back and can be hard to clean properly. Each one of these teeth has both external and internal anatomical structures that helps it to maintain its chewing and speaking function.
The external anatomy of a tooth is broken down into three main structures: the crown, neck, and root. The crown is the visible portion of the tooth that extends out of the gum line. The neck is underneath the crown and sits just above the gum line and tooth roots. The roots represent two-thirds of the entire tooth, but are completely submerged below the gum line and are not visible.
The roots are held into the tooths socket by cementum and the periodontal ligament. Cementum is a hard, bone-like connective tissue that secures the tooth roots to the gums and jawbone, while the periodontal ligament is responsible for holding the teeth against the jaw.
The internal anatomy is broken down into different layers: the enamel, dentin, and pulp. The enamel is the outermost and hardest layer that covers the crown and neck of the tooth. In fact, enamel is the hardest substance in the human body and is composed of calcium phosphate. The middle layer is known as dentin. Dentin is hard, though not as hard as enamel, but is porous and contains microscopic tubes that lead to the inside of the tooth. The innermost layer of the tooth is known as the pulp. The pulp is made up of living tissue such as blood vessels and nerves.
Unfortunately, the pulp layer can be irreversibly damaged when exposed to bacteria from decay, deep restorations, fractures, trauma, or periodontal disease. When the pulp layer becomes infected, the tissue must be removed in order to alleviate pain and preserve the remaining tooth. The process of removing diseased pulp tissue from the inside of the tooth is known as endodontic therapy. During one common type of endodontic therapy, known as a root canal, the pulp is removed from the pulp chamber and root canals. Because the supporting tissues are not touched and remain intact, the root will continue to function normally.
Dr. Dalzell is a certified specialist in endodontics entering private practice after thirteen years of honorable service in the Army Dental Corps. Dr. Dalzell prioritizes having a comfortable environment for his patients. His goal is to provide high quality, painless root canals using state of the art technology.
Dr. Dalzell was born in Okinawa, Japan and grew up in the U.S. and Germany. He is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry and then went on to complete a 2-year Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD-2) program at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii where he learned to focus on quality treatment for patients with complex needs. Dr. Dalzell was appointed Chief of General Dentistry while stationed in Germany and attained Board Certification with the American Board of General Dentistry. In 2008 he transitioned to assistant director of a 1-year AEGD program where he began pursuing his specialty training. Dr. Dalzell earnedhis Certificate in Endodontics, Fort Gordon, Georgia in conjunction with the Medical College of Georgia, graduating in June 2012. He was assigned to Ft. Bliss, TX to serve as the Chief of Endodontics and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. After five moves with the military and thirteen years of service, Dr. Dalzell and his family are very excited to be in the Raleigh area. His vision is to provide patients with excellent and predictable endodontic care. This combined with friendly chair side manner, learned from watching his father, Dr. Dan Dalzell, practice pediatric dentistry while growing up, allows for a patient experience that is far beyond what is expected.
Dr. Dalzell is a member of the American Association of Endodontists (AAE), American Dental Association (ADA), North Carolina Dental Society and the Raleigh/Wake County Dental Society. He is also an active member of the Tar Heel Endodontic Association and Southern Endodontic Study Group. Dr. Dalzell believes education is a satisfying and never ending process.
Dr. Dalzell is a Fellow in the International College Of Dentists. This honorary organization is a testament to Dr. Dalzells service and dedication to his profession as recognized by his professional colleagues.
In their spare time, Dr. Dalzell and staff enjoy giving back to dentistry by volunteering at North Carolina Mission of Mercy (NCMOM) events and Wake Smiles Dental Clinic. Away from the office,he enjoys trail running and many family activities, especially traveling with his wife and daughter.
There are many misconceptions surrounding root canal (endodontic) treatment and whether patients experience root canal pain. The American Association of Endodontists wants you to have accurate information. As always, when considering any medical procedure, you should get as much information as you can about all of your options. Your dentist orendodontistcan answer many of your questions, and if you still have concerns, it is often wise to seek a second opinion.
The perception of root canals being painful began decades ago but with modern technologies and anesthetics, root canal treatment today is no more uncomfortable than having a filling placed. In fact, a recent survey showed that patients who have experienced root canal treatment are six times more likely to describe it as painless than patients who have not had root canal treatment.
Most patients see their dentist or endodontist when they have a severe toothache. The toothache can be caused by damaged tissues in the tooth.Root canal treatmentremoves this damaged tissue from the tooth, thereby relieving the pain you feel.
The myth: Patients searching the Internet for information on root canals may find sites claiming that teeth receiving root canal (endodontic) treatment contribute to the occurrence of illness and disease in the body. This false claim is based on long-debunked and poorly designed research performed nearly a century ago by Dr. Weston A. Price, at a time before medicine understood the causes of many diseases.
In the 1920s, Dr. Price advocated tooth extractionthe most traumatic dental procedureover endodontic treatment. This resulted in a frightening era of tooth extraction both for treatment of systemic disease and as a prophylactic measure against future illness.
The truth: There is no valid, scientific evidence linking root canal-treated teeth and disease elsewhere in the body.A root canal is a safe and effective procedure. When a severe infection in a tooth requiresendodontic treatment, that treatment is designed toeliminatebacteria from the infected root canal,preventreinfection of the tooth andsavethe natural tooth.
But what about Dr. Price?This is a good example of how the Internet can give new life to long-dispelled theories. Believe it or not, the misinformation about roots canals that is found on the Internet is still based on Dr. Prices century-old, discredited research. Dr. Prices research techniques were criticized at the time they were published, and by the early 1930s, a number of well-designed studies using more modern research techniques discredited his findings. In 1951, theJournal of the American Dental Associationtook the extraordinary step of publishing a special edition reviewing the scientific literature and shifted the standard of practice back to endodontic treatment for teeth with non-vital pulp in instances where the tooth could be saved. TheJADAreviewed Dr. Prices research techniques from the 1920s and noted that they lacked many aspects of modern scientific research, including absence of proper control groups and induction of excessive doses of bacteria.
Nothing can completely replace your natural tooth. An artificial tooth can sometimes cause you to avoid certain foods. Keeping your own teeth is important so that you can continue to enjoy the wide variety of foods necessary to maintain the proper nutrient balance in your diet. If your dentist recommends extraction, ask whetherroot canal treatmentis an option.
Endodontic treatment, along with appropriate restoration, is a cost-effective way to treat teeth with damaged pulp and is usually less expensive than extraction and placement of a bridge or an implant.
Millions of healthy endodontically treated teeth serve patients all over the world, years and years after treatment. Those healthy teeth are helping patients chew efficiently, maintain the natural appearance of their smiles and enhance their enjoyment of life. Through endodontic treatment, endodontists and dentists worldwide enable patients to keep their natural teeth for a lifetime.