An endodontist is a dentist that has had special training in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the pulp systems of teeth. The pulp system is made up of the blood vessels and nerves inside the teeth. Endodontists spend most of their work days doing root canal therapy (aka root canals) on teeth. Root canal therapy involves several steps: removing the diseased pulp of the tooth, cleaning and reshaping the pulp canal, filling the pulp canal and restoring the access to the pulp. Root canal therapy stops the pain and infection associated with dead or diseased pulps.
There are many reasons that a tooth pulp may become diseased. In people a common reason is advanced decay (cavities), but in dogs and cats the most common reason is trauma to the tooth. Fractured canine teeth in dogs and cats are common. Dogs also commonly fracture the maxillary (upper) 4th premolar tooth. If the pulp of a tooth becomes exposed to the oral cavity, then the tooth must be extracted or it can be saved with root canal therapy.
Meet Maizie Rose. She came to her current owner with several broken teeth. I did root canal therapy on both lower canine teeth when I first met her almost 2 years ago. Root canal therapy enabled her to keep the teeth and avoid major surgery (to remove them). Maizie Rose was back a few weeks ago to clean her teeth and recheck the teeth that had previously been treated. The previously treated teeth look great, but we found a new problem.
Her left mandibular first molar appeared normal.
