Meet Dr. Estes: Your Top Endodontic Specialist in Charleston, SC

At Innovative Endodontics, we are proud to have Dr. Monica Estes as our top endodontic specialist in Charleston, SC. She has served her country and now serves the people of the Charleston, SC, area by providing quality, caring endodontic care. Find out more about our founder and her background.

Dr. Estes’s Education

Dr. Estes began her higher education by earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from the College of the Holy Cross, located in Worcester, MA. Due to her hard work, she graduated cum laude from undergraduate studies.

Next, she continued to dental school at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston, MA. During her studies, Dr. Estes earned top marks, graduating summa cum laude, the highest academic honor, and was ranked in the top ten graduates of her class in a large and competitive professional class. She earned her Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree and was invited as a member of the Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society which is open to the top 10% of graduating classes. Additionally, Dr. Estes earned an ethics award for her exemplification of integrity.

Dr. Estes completed her residency for endodontics at the Medical University of South Carolina. Her endodontic education included earning a Certificate of Endodontics and completing master’s-level work in endodontic materials and their antibiotic properties to earn her Masters of Science in Dentistry.

Dr. Estes’s Military Service

Dr. Estes gave back to her country by serving in the United States Navy for five years. During her first year, she furthered her learning through a one-year postdoctoral residency in Advanced Education in General Dentistry.

Her course of duty included being stationed at Jacksonville, FL, and Camp Pendleton, CA. She also served a deployment to Afghanistan, to support Operation Enduring Freedom. During her naval service, she earned multiple military honors.

Dr. Estes’s Professional Associations

Innovative Endodontics and Dr. Estes have several professional group associations, including the following:

• South Carolina Dental Association
• American Association of Women Dentists
• American Dental Association
• American Association of Endodontists

What Dr. Estes Does as a Top Endodontic Specialist in Charleston, SC

As our endodontist, Dr. Estes provides patients the care needed to help them save their natural teeth. An endodontist focuses on treating problems with the tooth pulp, which is the material inside the root canals. Therefore, when you need a root canal, you visit an endodontist. Some of the many procedures that Dr. Estes performs are as follows:

Root Canal Treatment

During this non-surgical treatment, she cleans out the interior of the tooth to stop the spread of infection from the pulp. By using high-tech imaging equipment and her knowledge of infection and pain control, she can save many teeth using this procedure.

In fact, complications are rare with root canal therapy, especially when performed by a well-practiced expert. Plus, the procedure should ease discomfort rather than produce it because it eliminates the cause of pain and discomfort in the tooth. Some people may feel minor discomfort following the procedure, but it pales in comparison to the serious pain they had before having root canal treatment.

Endodontic Retreatment

Though not common, occasionally, root canal treatments can fail. The causes of failure may include a dental professional missing some infected material inside the tooth, having intricate root canals that require additional clearing, not getting a crown quickly enough to cover the tooth, having a crown on a treated tooth break, or developing deep decay in a treated tooth.

Endodontic retreatment is similar to redoing root canal therapy on an affected tooth. The endodontist must remove the filling and sealant originally placed inside the tooth’s root canals and clean out the tooth thoroughly to get rid of any infection. Then, the endodontist seals and refills the tooth.

Cracked Teeth

Cracked teeth often require an endodontist, like Dr. Estes, to evaluate and treat them to avoid needing extractions. Some cracked teeth cannot be saved, even by the most skilled endodontists. However, many cracked teeth can receive successful treatment through root canal therapy to remove any bacteria that entered through the opening in the tooth.

Endodontic Surgery

Endodontic surgery may be a requirement for some patients with difficult-to-treat root canals or have an infection at the tooth root end. One example of endodontic surgery is an apicoectomy, which involves treating the root end directly.

At Innovative Endodontics, Dr. Estes uses high-powered Zeiss dental operating microscopes to see inside the tooth’s tiny passages. This technology allows her to perform surgery on such a microscopic scale better.

Indications That You Might Need Endodontic Care

There are several indications that you may need to see an endodontist. First, you may have your dentist refer you to one for surgery, root canal therapy, or endodontic retreatment. If you want top-quality care, ask for a referral to Innovative Endodontics.

Another indication that you may require endodontic care is when you experience any of the following symptoms that could indicate tooth root troubles:

• Swelling in the gum at the base of a tooth
• A gum pimple
• Pain when biting down on a tooth
• Extreme sensitivity in a tooth to hot and cold that does not subside after you stop drinking or eating

The above symptoms could indicate the need for root canal therapy. Make an appointment with your dentist or an endodontist for a full evaluation to determine the type of treatment you need. The depth of decay typically determines whether you need a filling or root canal therapy, and only imaging of your teeth can indicate the amount of decay.

Putting off endodontic care or even a dental evaluation of pain will only allow any decay or infection that you have in a tooth to worsen. Sadly, in some cases, decay progresses so far that even skilled endodontists like Dr. Estes cannot save the tooth. Therefore, you shouldn’t wait to make your appointment to have your dental pain evaluated.

Connect with Innovative Endodontics Today to Schedule an Appointment with Dr. Estes, a Top Endodontic Specialist in Charleston, SC

Our Dr. Estes will offer you caring, compassionate treatment along with her professional expertise to evaluate and treat your case. You deserve to have the best care possible with innovative technology and an endodontist with proven experience.You owe it to yourself to make Innovative Endodontics your choice for endodontic care. If you want to have treatment from a top endodontic specialist in North Charleston, SC, or the surrounding areas contact us today at Innovative Endodontics.