Endodontic Therapy

Your teeth are primarily made up of three different tissues.  First, the hard outside of your teeth is made up of enamel.  Under the enamel tissue lies dentin tissue.  Dentin is what allows your teeth to absorb a large amount of pressure and flex without breaking. Finally, there is the tooth pulp.  Pulp is the only soft tissue within the tooth.  It is made up of blood vessels and nerves.  The pulp of the tooth inside its root is referred to as the root canal, and when the pulp is infected, blood vessels and nerves can die, causing sensitivity and inflammation.

A root canal procedure can be performed as a last resort to save the tooth and prevent it from needing to be removed as a result of infection and bacteria. A root canal can become infected from a broken tooth that allows bacteria and infection to enter the root canal.  Once the root canal becomes infected, there are only two solutions for the tooth: root canal therapy or tooth extraction.

A root canal is a common dental procedure. It is performed more than 14 million times per year. This treatment allows your natural teeth to be maintained, preventing the need for dental implants or bridges.

Dr. Sundet prefers to send these cases to the specialists for treatment.