Trust your dentist to do what is best for you. He understands what you need and the most appropriate way to preserve your dental heath. Keep on reading to hear the “why.”
I’ll do my best to explain, keeping in mind that all situations are unique and may not apply in all cases.
Before I get too far into my answer, let’s cover a little basic background. The dentistry of today is far different than that of your grandparents. The dental profession has evolved, especially as we have entered the “tech era” in the past 10-20 years. Back in the day, dentists were often called up on a as-needed basis, primarily to fix or remove teeth causing pain or other unfortunate effect on a patient. In the early to mid-20th century, it was common for people to be missing several, or even all, of their natural teeth. Back then, dentistry was limited to removing teeth (extraction) or repairing them (fillings, crowns). It was all about function, and that function was commonly lost because of the lack of sophisticated techniques and materials to preserve what nature provided us. Back then it was considered “lucky” to have access to a dentist, even though skillset of the provider was rudimentary at best.
Nowadays, dental health has a much more prominent place in our overall well-being. Emphasis is now placed on prevention and long-lasting treatment approaches designed to preserve not only function, but esthetics and maintenance of good oral health. Today’s patients are fortunate to take advantage of an expansion of dental knowledge gained through modern research and education. The result is a specialization of all aspects of dental care.
There are currently 12 recognized dental specialties. The most common, and well-known, are orthodontics (braces) and oral surgery (wisdom tooth removal). Other less-known might include pediatrics (children), periodontics (gum surgery), and prosthodontics (tooth prosthetics). In our opinion the most exciting specialty, however, is endodontics! Endodontics focuses on treatment of diseases originating inside the tooth. Examples include pain due to a painful, irritated nerve, or a swelling due to infection. Endodontics is primarily responsible for preserving your natural teeth. When teeth are damaged from decay, fractures, or just simply wear out from use, endodontic therapy is often required to preserve that tooth.
I would venture to say that no dental specialty has progressed more in the last 10+ years than endodontics. What used to be marginally performed with simple instruments and lack of understanding has become a discipline that recognizes the complexity of the teeth we treat, invested in unique technology to address those complexities, and strives not only to treat teeth, but to have them last. So, now on to our question:
Why did my dentist recommend I come to see you (instead of just doing this himself)?
By far the most important thing for you to know is your general dentist has made a promise to you. This promise is to put you first. While many dentists may choose to perform root canal therapy (depending on complexity or confidence), many very judiciously have decided that with access to a specialist, they consider you to be better off by taking advantage of the experience, technology, and skill that a provider who has limited their practice to root canal therapy has to offer.
Second, your dentist understands that root canal therapy is an irreversible procedure. Without getting too technical, the less drilling and removal of tooth structure, the stronger and long lasting a tooth will likely last. Dr. Richards uses advanced magnification (the dental microscope), along with high-resolution 3-D imaging (CBCT) and GentleWave to ensure preservation of your tooth is done through the most conservative means possible. This, and other technology, is not practical to purchase and maintain in a general practice. To be cost-effective, it needs to be used every day, and because your dentist doesn’t only do root canals, that isn’t possible. Your dentist recognizes that you deserve to be treated with the latest techniques and equipment which he may not be able to provide “in-house”.
Your general dentist is an expert in restorative care, an amazing skill that they perfect every day. Just like you, they want your fillings and crowns to be placed on a healthy, solid foundation. In the event of unsuccessful treatment you will probably be sent to an endodontist to retreat the tooth. minimizing the probability of retreatment reduces your risk for needing to repeat costly endodontic and restorative procedures, or damage a crown in the future. Why not start there with the best possible chance for a positive outcome?
When I think about the literal explosion of dental knowledge that your dentist is responsible for understanding, I think it is honorable for him to recognize that one person cannot stay caught up with it all. The sheer diverse nature of the procedures performed in a general office every day will limit just how current one person can be on any of them at a given point in time. The medical community embraced this concept decades ago. For example, the family practitioner no longer is expected to know the nuances of cardiology, nor be expected to be an expert in administering leading-edge cancer treatments. The family practitioner’s role is not diminished because he “cannot do it all”. Rather his role is emphasized by identifying complex findings and assembling a team of experts (specialists) to best address whatever you are in need of. Dentistry is following suit, and most often patients are better off with this approach.
Consider this: from a purely business perspective, your dentist wouldn’t refer out what they could do themselves. Referring doesn’t help pay the high cost of operating an office, supporting staff, etc. But it does help you get the most up-to-date, competent care possible. The referral was made because your dental health, and not his bottom line, is the priority.
When I think about the literal explosion of dental knowledge that your dentist is responsible for understanding, I think it is honorable for him to recognize that one person cannot stay caught up with it all. The sheer diverse nature of the procedures performed in a general office every day will limit just how current one person can be on any of them at a given point in time. The medical community embraced this concept decades ago. The family practitioner no longer is expected to know the nuances of cardiology, nor be expected to be an expert in administering leading-edge cancer treatments. No, the family practitioner is invaluable to your health by identifying complex findings and incorporating a team of experts (specialists) to best address whatever you are in need of. Dentistry is following suit, and most often patients are better off with this approach.