Compassionate & Comfortable Patient Care
Microscopic Specialist in Endodontics
Call The Office
(334) 793-7687
Office Location
220-1 Healthwest Drive Dothan, AL
Welcome to Our Practice
Our mission is to provide the highest level of compassionate and comfortable patient-care and to use advanced technologies so that today’s root canal treatment is much faster and more precise. We treat our patients like a guest in our home. We strive to be respectful and attentive to their needs and fears. We will work closely with your general dentist so that the best possible results are achieved for each individual patient.
Root Canal
Dental Implants
Cracked Teeth
Traumatic Injury
Retreatment
Apicoectomy
Root Canal
Simply put, a root canal is a procedure to clean out diseased tissue and infection from the inner pulp chamber and root canal of your tooth in order to relieve pain and save your tooth.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are designed to provide a foundation for replacement teeth that look, feel, and function like natural teeth. With dental implants, people are rediscovering the comfort and the confidence to eat, speak, laugh, and enjoy life.
Cracked Teeth
There are many different types of cracked teeth. The treatment and outcome for your tooth depends on the type, location, and extent of the crack. Different types of cracks: craze lines, fractured cusp, cracked tooth, split tooth, and vertical root fracture.
Traumatic Injury
In the case of an injury, a tooth may be pushed sideways, into, or out of its socket. Root canal treatment is usually needed for permanent teeth that have been dislodged and should be started a few days after the injury.
Retreatment
Endodontic therapy has a very high degree of success — up to 95% will heal with no further endodontic treatment required. Most endodontically treated teeth last as long as other teeth.
Apicoectomy
Occasionally root canal treatment fails to heal a tooth, and further treatment may be necessary. An apicoectomy can be used to locate fractures or hidden canals that cause pain. The most common surgery used to save damaged teeth is an apicoectomy.
Endodontic Treatment
“Endo” is the Greek word for “inside” and “odont” is Greek for “tooth.” Endodontic treatment treats the inside of the tooth. Root canal treatment is one type of endodontic treatment.
To understand endodontic treatment, it helps to know something about the anatomy of the tooth. Inside the tooth, under the white enamel and a hard layer called the dentin, is a soft tissue called the pulp. The pulp contains blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue and creates the surrounding hard tissues of the tooth during development.
The pulp extends from the crown of the tooth to the tip of the roots where it connects to the tissues surrounding the root. The pulp is important during a tooth’s growth and development. However, once a tooth is fully mature it can survive without the pulp, because the tooth continues to be nourished by the tissues surrounding it.
Our Endodontist
Dr. Lee Van Carroll was raised in Geneva, Alabama where he graduated from Geneva High School. He attended Auburn University, and earned a bachelors of science in chemistry. After graduating from University of Alabama Birmingham School of Dentistry, he went on to complete an endodontic residency also at UAB. Dr. Carroll moved back to the wiregrass area and joined Dr. William Hodges (ret.) at Dothan Endodontic Associates, where he has been practicing for 30 years. Dr Carroll is a member of several organizations, including American Association of Endodontists, Southern Endodontic Study Group, III District Dental Association, American Dental Association, American Dental Implant Association, and Alabama Dental Association.
Dr. Carroll met his wife Ashley while attending Auburn University. They have 2 children Van and Anna, and a little granddaughter named Willa.
Dr. Lee Van Carroll, DMD
Endodontist
Dr. Ainsworth is a native of Pass Christian, MS. He graduated from Millsaps College in 2014 with a B.S. in Biology. He then obtained a Masters degree in Biomedical Sciences. Shortly after he attended dental school and was granted a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in 2020. After practicing general Dentistry for one year in east Tennessee, he then moved back to Memphis to complete his Endodontic Specialty program with UTHSC.
Dr. Ainsworth is an active member of the American Association of Endodontics. He hopes to become more involved in his community and respective societies after settling in in the neighboring city Webb, AL.
Dr. Ainsworth enjoys hunting over his lab and springer spaniel, Parker and Gwen. He is looking forward to being closer to his hometown friends and family. He is also looking forward to being closer to salt water and all the things that come with the territory: good food, good people, and good times.
Dr. Chaz M. Ainsworth
Endodontist
