Dr. Tyson Curtis, DDS
Born and raised in Southern California, Dr. Curtis was a 1993 graduate of Los Alamitos High School. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in biological sciences at the University of California Santa Barbara in 1998 and graduated from the UCLA School of Dentistry in 2004. He completed a 1 year general practice residency at the West Los Angeles VA Hospital in 2005 and worked in the general practice of dentistry in Long Beach until 2009.
Dr. Curtis found a passion for endodontics in dental school at UCLA which led him to seek a specialist education and certification. From 2009 to 2012 Dr. Curtis was engaged in a fellowship and endodontics residency at the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland. His joint research project with the director of the post-doctoral program at OHSU involving modern materials and methods in endodontics was published in 2012. Upon receiving his specialist certification he returned to Orange County to practice. Dr. Curtis is known for the sincere care that he shows his patients. He is gratified by relieving his patients from pain and saving their natural teeth when they are at risk from pulpal disease.
During his free time Dr. Curtis is an avid fisherman and free diver. He also enjoys stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, skiing/snowboarding, playing guitar and piano as well as drawing, painting and sculpting.
Welcome to the world of Endodontics! Endodontics is a specialized branch of dentistry that deals with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases of the dental pulp and surrounding tissues. The pulp is a mass of connective tissue that resides within the center of the tooth, directly beneath the layer of dentin.
Referred to as part of the “dentin-pulp” complex, and also known as the endodontium, these two tissues are closely interrelated and dependent on each other’s development and survival. The goal of Endodontics is to save damaged or infected teeth instead of extracting them.
Have you ever experienced a severe toothache or sensitivity to hot or cold foods and drinks? This could be a sign of a damaged or infected pulp, which is the soft tissue inside your tooth that contains nerves and blood vessels. If left untreated, a damaged pulp can lead to a painful abscess, which is an infection at the root of the tooth.
The good news is that Endodontics can help fix this problem and relieve your discomfort. Endodontic treatments include root canal therapy, apicoectomy, and revascularization.
Root canal therapy is the most common endodontic procedure, and it involves removing the damaged or infected pulp, cleaning and shaping the inside of the tooth, and then filling and sealing it. This procedure is performed under local anesthesia and can be completed in one or two visits to the dentist.
An apicoectomy is a surgical procedure that involves removing the infected or damaged portion of the root tip and sealing the end of the root canal. This procedure is performed if the infection or damage extends beyond the reach of a root canal therapy.
Revascularization, also known as regenerative endodontics, is a new and innovative treatment option for damaged or infected teeth. This procedure involves cleaning and disinfecting the root canal and then filling it with special materials to stimulate the growth of new blood vessels and cells.
In conclusion, Endodontics is a field of dentistry that focuses on saving damaged or infected teeth and alleviating tooth pain. If you are experiencing a severe toothache or sensitivity, don’t wait, contact an Endodontist today and let them help you get back to a healthy and pain-free smile!