Avi Malkis cares for patients at Shel Dental in Connecticut and Oakwood Dental Arts on Staten Island, New York. Avi Malkis comes to his work as a doctor of dental surgery with diverse expertise that includes implant dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, and endodontics.
Endodontic therapy, also known as root canal treatment, can allow a dentist to save a severely damaged tooth by removing the interior pulp and roots. Endodontic treatment removes this infected material so that the dentist can clean and disinfect the space that it occupies.
The procedure begins with the application of local anesthetic, which works to keep the patient comfortable during the procedure. The dentist or endodontist then places a protective sheet to keep the area free of saliva and infected material while he or she works on the tooth.
After creating an access opening in the enamel of the tooth, the dental professional introduces a series of increasingly wide files that scrape out infected material. Occasional flushing with water or sodium hypochlorite helps to clear away debris until the canals are thoroughly cleared out.
The professional must then fill and seal the emptied tooth. This often takes place as part of the root canal procedure, though patients with active infection may need to wait until that infection clears. This requires the placement of a temporary sealant, which protects the tooth until the dental professional can permanently seal the tooth.
The final step of the root canal treatment itself is the filling of the canals with a rubber substance known as gutta-percha, on top of which the dentist or endodontist places a standard filling. Most patients then need to return for the preparation and placement of a crown, which guards the now-fragile tooth against breakage.