Endodontics specifically treats problems associated with the inside of the tooth. To fully understand this, it helps to know a little about the anatomy of a tooth. Every tooth is covered on the outside by a very hard, white, material called enamel. Inside of this is a deeper material called dentin, also hard but less so than enamel. At the center of the dentin is a hollow space than extends from the “crown” end of the tooth, or the part that you see in the mouth, all the way down to the tips of the “Endo” is the Greek word for “inside”, and “odont” is Greek for tooth. Endodontic treats roots of the tooth within your jaw. In this hollow space is living tissue called the “dental pulp” containing blood vessels and nerves. It is similar to most other tissue in your body except that it is very sensitive and is surrounded by the hard tissue of the tooth. When you are very young, this tissue actually forms the tooth around itself. Once your tooth is fully formed, this tissue does not play as active of a role but remains to give you feedback on when you are biting too hard, and when things are hot or cold etc. Since this tissue is not critical to your tooth during your adult life, the tooth can actually survive almost unchanged without this tissue.