Endodontist in Lisbon

An Endodontist is a dentist whose practice is focused on diagnosing and treating problems involving the dental pulp, root canal system and tissues surrounding the roots, including both first-time treatment and more complex previously treated cases.

Not necessarily. You may book an assessment directly at the IPE. If you have been referred by another dentist, we aim to coordinate the endodontic treatment with the overall treatment plan and, after our intervention, you will normally return to your referring dentist for continuing care.

No. Toothache can have several causes. Patients often say they “need a root canal”, but the procedure is correctly called root canal treatment or endodontic treatment. It should only be carried out when the diagnosis shows that it is indicated. The first step is to identify the source of the symptoms.

Possibly. In Endodontics, CBCT can be extremely useful because it provides three-dimensional information that conventional radiographs may not reveal. It is particularly valuable in previously treated teeth, complex anatomy, persistent lesions, suspected fractures, resorption or perforations.

The decision is made case by case after clinical assessment. When a scan is required, we aim to use a protocol appropriate to the specific diagnostic question — which is why, whenever possible, we prefer to perform the scan at the IPE. If you already have a recent CBCT of suitable quality, we will review it before considering a new scan.

In many cases, yes. Depending on the cause of the problem, root canal retreatment or, in selected situations, endodontic microsurgery may be considered. Predictability depends on the anatomy, previous treatment, restoration and remaining tooth structure.

Our aim is to preserve the natural tooth when doing so is clinically reasonable and predictable. Fractures, severe structural loss, periodontal disease or other factors can sometimes make preservation inadvisable. A specialist assessment is also valuable for recognising the limits of treatment.

When a new CBCT scan is required, performing it at the IPE allows the Endodontist to define the region that needs to be examined and select the acquisition protocol most appropriate to the clinical question.

At the IPE we use a Morita Veraview X800 with protocols specifically optimised for Endodontics, including, when indicated, a reduced 4 × 4 cm field of view (FOV) and 80 μm voxel size. This high spatial resolution can be important because many of the structures and changes we investigate in Endodontics are very small.

Not all CBCT scans therefore have the same diagnostic value. Field of view, resolution, patient positioning, acquisition parameters and artefacts can significantly affect the information obtained. A scan acquired using unsuitable parameters may not answer the endodontic question for which it was requested.

If you already have a recent external CBCT of suitable technical quality, we will review it before considering any repeat imaging.