Root canal procedures are performed in the clinic every day. Endodontic treatment means "treatment within" and is used to indicate all dental procedures involving the pulp of a tooth. As commonplace as they are—with over 15 million being performed every year in the U.S.—root canals are typically surrounded by thoughts of fear and anxiety.  Minimally invasive endodontics (also referred to as MI endodontics) aims to lessen that fear and make this often necessary procedure as painless as possible.

What Is MI Endodontics?

MI Endodontics, like all minimally invasive procedures, refers to a root canal procedure that focuses on tooth preservation and thus aims for the minimal amount of tissue removal necessary. In order to reduce the "needle fear" of traditional root canal therapy—often perceived as an uncomfortable, painful, and lengthy procedure that involves high levels of stress—MI endodontics involves both diagnostic evaluation and treatment.

What Role Does MI Endodontics Play In A Root Canal?

During a root canal, there are three phases:
  1. Coronal access preparation
  2. Radicular apical preparation
  3. Flaring the canal that connects the coronal and the radicular apical
During all of these phases, MI endodontic practitioners try to remove the least amount of dentin possible, which is the layer of the tooth that is immediately under its enamel. Some level of denin removal will always be necessary in order to eliminate the microbial and properly disinfect the root canal. However, MI endodontics ensures that the amount of dentin removed is minimized, which helps to reduce postoperative sensitivity and pain.

Benefits Of MI Endodontics

There are several benefits to MI endodontics for both the dentist performing the procedure and the patient receiving it.

Tooth Preservation

Removing as little dentin as possible during a root canal helps to ensure that the tooth is preserved, which reduces the chances of the patient needing an implant or a post and core build-up.

Less Pain

While root canals are usually conducted with the patient under anesthesia, postoperative pain is still common due to the amount of dentin that is removed. MI endodontics helps to reduce this pain by removing only the necessary amount of dentin.

Faster Recovery

The less dentin that is removed, the shorter the recovery time for patients after a root canal will be. By steering clear of aggressive percussion and cutting instruments, MI endodontics helps to cut down on the amount of postoperative pain associated with a root canal procedure.

The Future Of MI Endodontics

These days, every effort is made to make procedures less invasive and more comfortable for patients—and MI Endodontics is a reflection of that. While this particular field of endodontics is still in its early stages, it has great promise for the future.

SS White Dental: Everything Your Practice Needs For MI Procedures

At SS White Dental, we understand how important it is to have the latest technology and equipment available in order to help your patients. We offer a full range of endodontic equipment and tools to help your practice provide the most advanced and painless care possible. If you have any questions about MI endodontics, or if you would like to learn more about our products for this type of procedure, please feel free to contact us today!