General Information

August 28, 2020 By Dr. Susan Wood Leave a Comment

PPE for Pups | Drive for AZ Humane Society

Phoenix Endodontic Group is collecting PPE Gowns for AZ Humane Society Trauma Hospital and challenging our referral partner offices to join us in donating. We will match your donations of PPE Gowns during the collection drive for the month of September.

AHS is facing a shortage of isolation gowns for its Second Chance Animal Trauma Hospital™ and intensive care units.
On average, AHS uses 950 disposable gowns per week for the nearly 18,000 sick, injured and abused homeless pets AHS takes in each year.

Start up your collection at your office today! Join us, make a difference and we will match your contribution of gowns to deliver to AZ Humane Society.
Watch the FOX 10 video to learn more.

Reach out to Kim Rowell via email: kim@phoenixendodontist.com or give her a call at 602.288.9149, to schedule your office pickup.

October 25, 2019 By Dr. Jacqueline S. Allen Leave a Comment

Introducing The Wand™ Dental Technology To Our Practice

Dental patients everywhere have something in common. No one enjoys shots. Often, it takes more than one injection to numb an area. It’s almost worse than the procedure itself! And when the procedure is done, you’re left with numbness spread throughout your mouth. It’s an unpleasant process, to say the least.

Our office has resolved these problems with the use of The Wand™, a new dental technology that enables us to provide anesthesia with little or no discomfort. With The Wand ™, we have control over the flow and delivery of anesthesia, plus this unique dental technology pinpoints intraligamentary tissue to help us identify the precise location for administering anesthesia.

The Wand™ : A Powerful Dental Technology Breakthrough

The Wand’s precise control allows for “single tooth anesthesia” (STA). You’re spared an entire numb mouth in favor of one numbed tooth. STA makes it easier to return to work comfortably, with no worries about talking, eating, or drinking. STA also means bilateral work on your mouth can be done on the same day.
It doesn’t look scary. For patients with a fear of needles or of dentistry, this matters a lot. The Wand™ has a benign modern shape and is very non-threatening. The needle is a very small one in the tip of the device.
It’s almost completely painless. This new dental technology’s precise control results in administration of the correct amount of anesthesia for the tissue, and many patients report The Wand™ makes the delivery of the anesthesia almost painless.
It allows smile-line access. If your dentist is doing work that requires access to your smile line, this new dental technology makes it easy.

“Let us show you how our office can use new dental technology like The Wand™ to make your root canal or other procedure a more pain-free experience,” says Dr. Jacqueline S. Allen, endodontist at the Phoenix Endodontic Group. “The Wand™ makes it possible for us to give our patients a better experience with less pain and anxiety, and we’re pleased to offer it as a regular part of our practice.”

April 18, 2019 By Dr. Susan Wood Leave a Comment

Phoenix Endodontic Group Offers Enhanced Support to Referral Providers

We are excited to tell you about a new development in our practice, one that is designed to better serve the restorative dentistry practices we work with. We have instituted a new position called Professional Relationship Director, whose role is to ensure seamless communication between our practices, and to share with you relevant information to enhance patient care.
We are proud to introduce you to the person who is going to perform this role, Kim Rowell.

Kim may not really need an introduction, since she has worked with us for several years in other roles, but you are going to be seeing and hearing a lot more from her in the future.
Kim will be making regular visits to your office to check in with you and your team. She will call you with any necessary updates on cases involving patients you refer. And she will always be available to take your questions, field requests for information, or organize meetings with the doctors when needed. We can tell you from experience working with Kim, she’s passionate and knowledgeable about dentistry, she loves to work with people, and she knows how to get things done. Kim has our full confidence in performing this job-which is to be, exclusively, the liaison between our practice and yours.
You can reach her directly at 602-288-9149 or by email at kim@phoenixendodontist.com

Once again, We are excited to deliver this news, and look forward to taking our working relationship-and the quality of care we provide to patients-to an even higher level.

June 25, 2018 By Dr. Jacqueline S. Allen Leave a Comment

How Common Is It To Get A Root Canal?

If your general dentist has recommended that you call an endodontic provider about having a root canal performed, you’re far from alone. The American Association of Endodontists reports that more than 15 million root canals are performed every year – that’s more than 41,000 root canals per DAY.

Why is this procedure done so often to treat an injured or infected natural tooth? There are several reasons why root canals have become a treatment of choice.

Why Is A Root Canal Being Recommended For Me?

Your dentist or endodontist has determined your natural tooth can be saved. With more than three-quarters of all Americans indicating a preference for saving a tooth over replacing it with an implant, your provider will likely lean in the direction of seeing if salvaging the tooth is possible with a root canal treatment.
Root canal success rates are comparable with those of dental implants. In both situations, the treatments are successful more than 90 percent of the time.
Modern root canals are safe, effective and cause little discomfort. Many times, patients come to an endodontist with an infected tooth that has damaged tissues that are causing discomfort. A root canal actually alleviates this discomfort, rather than causing more. Most patients experience about as much discomfort during a root canal as they would getting a cavity filled.
Nothing can replace the look or function of a natural tooth. Artificial restorations such as dental implants have their advantages, but retaining a natural tooth through a root canal can ensure the tooth stays in your mouth for a lifetime.

“Root canals are neither exotic nor risky,” says Dr. Jacqueline S. Allen, who practices with the Phoenix Endodontic Group. “Endodontists perform this health-enhancing procedure on a daily basis and can make your experience comfortable and stress-free.”

April 17, 2018 By Dr. Jacqueline S. Allen Leave a Comment

Why Did My Dentist Refer Me to an Endodontist?

Many of us love a good mystery novel or television show, but few people enjoy mysteries that revolve around our teeth. If you went to your general dentist to resolve a nagging dental issue, you may be wondering why he or she sent you to an endodontist for further examination and treatment.

Endodontists are dental specialists who focus on treating diseases of the dental pulp. They are experts in restoring infected or injured natural teeth to health. The procedures that they perform for patients also make them quite knowledgeable about reducing and eliminating dental pain.

If your dentist has referred you to an endodontist, here are some of the most common reasons he or she may have done so.

Top Reasons For Referral To An Endodontist

Your dentist suspects that you need a root canal. If you have the symptoms of infected tooth pulp, your dentist will most likely want the endodontist to conduct an examination and potentially perform a root canal.
Your dentist may want to have the endodontist examine a previous root canal. Root canal treatments, when followed by the addition of a dental crown on top, have success rates that exceed 90 percent. But root canals can fail, and when they do, an endodontist is the professional most experienced in performing a root canal retreatment.
You may have a cracked tooth. Teeth cracks can let in bacterial infection that can damage the tooth’s pulp. In many cases, root canals performed by an endodontist are the only thing that can preserve a natural tooth that has suffered a crack.
You may need an apicoectomy. If a previous root canal has failed, the damaged tooth may need an apicoectomy, which fills and seals the root tip of the tooth from the root end of the tooth (rather than from the crown end of the tooth, as in a typical root canal).

“Dentists and endodontists work together as a team to keep your natural teeth healthy and intact,” says Dr. Jacqueline S. Allen, who practices with the Phoenix Endodontic Group. “If you have any questions about your referral, let our office know and we will provide a detailed explanation of your condition and your options for treatment.”

March 15, 2018 By Dr. Susan Wood Leave a Comment

Future Trends In Endodontics – Regenerative Endodontic Therapy

Endodontists are fond of emphasizing that endodontic therapies such as root canals preserve your natural teeth, allowing you to chew, speak and eat without the downsides that come with dentures or other forms of dental restorations. Most current endodontic therapy preserves the outside of a natural tooth by placing a crown over it, while replacing the failing nerve and pulp in the canals with the latex filling gutta-percha.

However, one of the most exciting developments in professional endodontics in the past generation has been research into regenerative endodontic therapy. Instead of replacing the nerve pulp with an inert substance, this groundbreaking treatment creates and delivers healthy living tissue to replace diseased, missing or traumatized pulp.

Endodontists who are at the forefront of this research combine their knowledge of pulp biology, the proper care of dental trauma, and tissue engineering to accomplish this task. The body’s own existing cells or bioactive materials are inserted in the pulp chamber to stimulate regrowth. A related procedure, apexification, employs similar methods to grow a dentin-like substance over the apex (tip) of the tooth root, in order to improve the chances of a traditional root canal treatment succeeding when the death of the pulp in a developing adult tooth has left an open apex.

Endodontic practitioners measure the success of regenerative endodontic therapy by its ability to achieve the following treatment goals:

Elimination of symptoms
Increased root wall thickness and/or root length
Positive response to pulp vitality testing

While this technique is still evolving, endodontists are following the progress of its development with great interest.

“Regenerative endodontic therapy opens the door to transforming how we approach saving natural teeth,” says Dr. Susan L. Wood, an endodontist in private practice with the Phoenix Endodontic Group. “It truly may lead to a clinical situation in which we facilitate the body healing itself.”

November 13, 2017 By Dr. Susan Wood Leave a Comment

Brief History Of Root Canals

Like most health-enhancing procedures, the technologies and techniques used to provide root canals have been steadily advancing, especially over the past few decades. Today’s root canal procedure is considerably easier on patients than it was in the 1980s, or even the 1990s.

Something that may surprise you, however, is that root canals have been around for well over a century. Here’s a brief list of historical milestones related to root canal procedures, to foster appreciation for how they have developed.

Important Dates In Root Canal History

1728 – Pierre Fauchard, a French physician regarded as the father of modern dentistry, authors the book “Le chirurgien dentiste,” which describes the existence of dental pulp.
1838 – American Edwin Maynard creates the first root canal instrument, which he fashions from a watch spring.
1847 – Gutta-percha is introduced as a material for filling dental canals.
1890s – Crowns are becoming increasingly popular as a dental restoration. Many require canal posts, which increases interest in endodontic treatments such as root canals.
1900 – The emerging imaging technology of X-rays is identified as an important tool for diagnosing tooth root problems.
1943 – The American Association of Endodontics is established to facilitate professional practice in this specialty.
1950s – After a half-century of controversy, research establishes that natural teeth needing root canals do not cause systemic health problems, leading to a renewed interest in endodontics.
1990s to the present – Endodontic root canal treatments receive an upgrade due to improved imaging techniques, the advent of rotary nickel-titanium files to clean canals, and use of new irrigating solutions.

“Root canals have never been a static procedure, with only ‘one right way’ to preserve a challenged natural tooth,” says Dr. Susan L. Wood of the Phoenix Endodontic Group. “Endodontists in all eras have striven to improve the experience for patients and create successful outcomes.”

August 31, 2017 By Dr. Susan Wood Leave a Comment

Tips to Prevent Gum Disease

Often times, men and woman question why they should care about their oral health. While many people focus on physical health, oral health tends to fall beneath the wayside. Oral health plays an incredibly important role in your physical health and should not be overlooked! Some might think a little gum bleeding is not so bad, but gum disease can lead to many severe problems. The severity of gum disease ranges from a mild type known as gingivitis to a more serious kind called periodontitis. The most severe cases of gum disease can result in tissue damage, bone loss, and even tooth loss. Do you think losing your teeth can simply be replaced by implants? It’s not that easy. Implants are not only expensive but often cannot be performed because of bone loss, one of the effects of gum disease. Because of this, the patient is forced to consider bridges or even dentures. Treatment of gum disease depends on a number of factors including the severity of the disease, the quality of your oral health care, and risk factors such as smoking, diabetes, and pregnancy. According to the American Dental Association (ADA):

Warning signs that can signal a problem:

gums that bleed easily
red, swollen, tender gums
gums that have pulled away from the teeth
persistent bad breath or bad taste
permanent teeth that are loose or separating
any change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite
any change in the fit of partial dentures

Factors, which increase the risk of developing gum disease, are:

poor oral hygiene
smoking or chewing tobacco
genetics
crooked teeth that are hard to keep clean
pregnancy
diabetes
medications, including steroids, certain types of anti-epilepsy drugs, cancer therapy drugs, some calcium channel blockers and oral contraceptives

What can you do about it now?

The main cause of gingivitis is dental plaque. In fact, dental plaque is the root of many oral health problems. If not removed regularly, plaque can accumulate between your teeth and around the gums. If you have gingivitis, you can normally restore your gum and oral health through improved teeth cleaning. The American Dental Association emphasizes the importance of “brushing your teeth twice a day, cleaning between your teeth daily, eating a healthy diet, and scheduling regular dental visits.” Even if you are diagnosed with gum disease, your dentist can design a treatment plan that includes professional cleaning to help you maintain good oral health.

Oral health is as equally important as physical health and must be cared for regularly. Consult your dentist right away if you suspect you have a problem. Gum disease is preventable and our team of dental experts can give you the care you need. To learn more about our services, or to schedule an appointment at Phoenix Endodontic Group, please call (602) 748-4190, or visit our website.

August 24, 2017 By Dr. Susan Wood Leave a Comment

3 Things You Need to Know About Phoenix Endodontic Group

In 2001, Dr. Jacqueline S. Allen founded Phoenix Endodontic Group. Our firm has grown tremendously over the past decade and a half. Our office expanded to Paradise Valley in 2008 and, in 2014, Dr. Susan L. Wood joined Phoenix Endodontic Group as a partner.

Over the last 16 years we have seen a lot of changes in the dental profession, technology and patient expectations. While flexibility is necessary when handling endodontic cases in today’s environment, it is equally important to stay true to the core values. Our core values are what brought Phoenix Endodontic Group so much success over the years.

Here are 3 important things to know about Phoenix Endodontic Group:

Patient Focused: We recognize that the needs, care and treatment of our patients are our number one priority. From her first day in private practice, Dr. Allen’s philosophy is to “treat patients the way I want to be treated.” This idea is the cornerstone of our operation at Phoenix Endodontic Group
State of the Art: At Phoenix Endodontic Group, we constantly invest in new technologies to keep ourselves on the cutting edge of endodontic therapy. Additionally, Dr. Allen and Dr. Wood spend a considerable amount of time continuing their education in the endodontic field. Both doctors believe strongly in learning and understanding the latest theories and techniques in the field of endodontics.
Best in Class Care: Our team is focused on making sure you receive the best care. From appointment scheduling, insurance billing and post treatment care we are there to serve our patients and referring offices. Our goal is to make sure that every patient is “delighted” by the service and care provided by Phoenix Endodontic Group.

At Phoenix Endodontic Group, we feel that doing all of the “little things” correctly and attention to detail are two things that separate us from other endodontic dental offices. We are proud of our successes and our team’s dedication to providing top care for our patients. These first 16 years have gone by quickly and we look forward to the next 16 years with the same philosophy and commitment to excellence!

July 5, 2017 By Dr. Susan Wood Leave a Comment

Interview with a Dental Assistant

Meet Sarah Apostolakis. She is one of our many talented dental assistants that we have here to assist during procedures at the Phoenix Endodontic Group. Sarah has experience in periodontics, oral surgery, and general dentistry. She is a very active, outdoorsy person and is passionate about coming into work every day. She is great with caring for our patients and wanting them to get the best out of their experience here at the Phoenix Endodontic Group. She has great tips and advice for our patients about helping to improve oral health.

What do you find most rewarding about being a dental assistant?

What I find most rewarding about being a dental assistant is changing someone’s fear of going to the dentist. My goal is to give every patient the best experience I can provide and to remove their fear of coming back.

What is the biggest piece of advice you have for patients to ensure good oral health?

The best advice I can give is – floss the teeth you want to keep!

There are a lot of individuals and research that say electric toothbrushes are better. Do you agree and why?

My opinion on electric toothbrushes is they can be a good tool if used properly. I always recommend using a soft bristled head to prevent damaging the gums and tooth. The best technique is to brush in small soft circles.

How did you become interested in the dental field?

I knew I wanted to be in the dental field since I was a kid. Going to the dentist was a fun experience for me.

What advice would you give people that are afraid of or dislike dental treatment? What would you say to ease those fears?

Most people’s fear of the dentist stems from a bad experience they had or heard of. It can be difficult to relax in a situation you feel a lack of knowledge or control. That is why I think communicating with the patient is so important. I like to assure we will not start until they are ready and comfortable and talk them through the procedure so they are informed about what is going on.

What is your favorite part of working with Dr. Allen?

My favorite part of working with Dr. Allen is how relatable and compassionate she is with her patients. Dr. Allen has undergone a lot of dental work herself which has given her empathy and understanding on what it is like to be in the chair. She treats every patient how she would want to be treated.

When you are seeing patients, what is the most common problem you see with their dental health or general dental care?

The most common problem I see in dental health is gum disease. Tartar and plaque build up under the gums and in between the teeth that can only be removed properly by a hygienist. It is easy to fall out of the habit of flossing and getting your teeth cleaned twice a year with our busy lives but it’s important for your oral health to make time.

Since one’s diet is said to influence their dental health, do you have any diet recommendations?

Diet does directly influence dental health. Acidic and sugary foods are the most harmful to the teeth. I love candy and oranges and eat them all the time but I always try to rinse my mouth out after. That way I do not leave an acidic or sugary environment in my mouth which can be harmful to my teeth and gums.

Do you have a favorite dental brand or product that you use at home?

My favorite dental brand is Colgate. I have never had issues with their products, but any toothpaste with fluoride and mouthwash without alcohol will work.

Take your oral health to the next the level with Sarah’s simple tips and tricks. Giving advice and making every patient feel comfortable when they come in for a procedure is why Sarah is a prized dental assistant at the Phoenix Endodontic Group. Make sure to keep your smile bright and healthy by visiting Phoenix Endodontic Group.