Top Rated Root Canal Specialist in Reno, Nevada

Endodontist specializing in worry free root canals

Serving Northern Nevada:

Welcome to
Northern Nevada
Endodontics

At Northern Nevada Endodontics our goal is nothing short of redefining endodontics. For years root canals and their associated procedures have been met with anxiety due to outdated technology. From your first phone call to the actual appointment, you can expect world-class care. Our caring staff will ensure you have a comfortable and relaxed experience.

We use a combination of modern technology, advanced procedures, and proven relaxation techniques. We ensure patients have an experience that will have them redefining in their mind what endodontics can be! Whether you were referred for root canal therapy, internal bleaching of dark or stained teeth or if you have had bad experiences in the past and require some extra care, contact us today to schedule your appointment.

Meet Dr. Scott

Dr. Scott Sutter has been serving the patients of Northern Nevada since 2014 and comes to Sparks from St. Louis, where he completed his residency in endodontics at St. Louis University while earning a Masters of Science for his work with radiology.

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(775) 236-4950

Dr. Sutter explains everything really well and is super fast! He made the whole procedure easy and painless.

Amy N. | RENO, NV

Best Endodontist I've ever met! Highly recommend Dr. Sutter

Zach S. | Tahoe, CA

Dr. Scott is the best. I was really nervous, but Scott put my fears to rest. Thank you Dr. Scott!

Dave S. | TRUCKEE, CA

Needing a root canal can be an intimidating experience. Northern Nevada Endodontics made mine easy and painless.

Arturo T. | Carson City, NV

Services

We proudly offer the the highest level of care for the following common procedures.

Root Canal Therapy

Root Canal Retreatment

Pediatric Services

Root Canal Therapy

A root canal is a procedure that saves your natural tooth. This procedure helps avoid the need for expensive treatments, such as a bridge or implant. In the inside of every tooth there is a hollow space, or canal, than runs from midway through the top of your tooth to the very bottom of the root, hence root canal. In a normal and healthy tooth, this hollow space is filled with nerves, blood vessels, and other tissues that help the tooth grow through your childhood.

If bacteria are able to enter this space, they will begin to consume the nerve and blood supply. As many of you may have experienced, this can be quite a painful process! The bacteria can enter this area from decay (dental cavities), fractures, or deep dental fillings or crowns. If you experience any pain or swelling due to the infected root canal area, your dentist will most likely recommend saving the tooth using a root canal.

The process of a root canal has thankfully become much more simplified and painless than in the past due to improved techniques and modern technology. Following local anesthesia with a numbing medication, a small hole is created in the top portion of your tooth to gain access to the hollow space below. Dr. Sutter and his team will then use a combination of brushes, files, and disinfectants to clean out the entire tooth, from top to the bottom of the root.

The root portion of the tooth is then sealed up using a material specifically designed to help seal the tooth in all three dimensions, and depending on the situation, either a permanent or temporary filling material is placed through the small hole.

Modern root canals, when done with contemporary techniques and the expertise of a specialist, are very straightforward and are most similar to having a filling placed. You should feel no pain during the procedure, and most treatments are completed in 30-45 minutes. As long as you are not sedated, you will be able to drive home and return to work or school if you desire.

Root Canal Retreatment

Root canal treated teeth normally function as well as any other tooth and can last a lifetime. However, there are situations in which a tooth that has had a root canal can start to cause pain or can become reinfected. If this happens, your dentist may recommend the root canal be redone, or retreated.

There are three main reasons why a root canal may fail and need retreatment. Dental cavities, caused by bacteria, can get under the filling or crown if space has developed and can reinfect the root canal area. Often times there are extra roots or canals present in the tooth that are very difficult to locate without the help of a microscope or three-dimensional scan. Another reason root canals can fail is if unique anatomy, such as long or curved roots, has made it difficult to clean your tooth completely.

Regardless of the source of the failing root canal, Dr. Sutter and his team will evaluate the tooth, review your options, and work with you and your dentist to make the appropriate recommendations. When making your initial appointment with us please let us know if you have had a root canal in the painful area.

Pediatric Services

Children present a unique challenge as there are often behavioral modifications necessary to safely and successfully treat them. While root canals aren’t technically performed on baby teeth, the first adult, or permanent tooth, erupts into the mouth around the age of 6, so it is common to require some treatment as early as 7 or 8 years of age. When an adult tooth erupts into the mouth, although the crown (the top part) is complete, the roots underneath take between 2-3 years to continue developing, and many years after that to finally mature.

This process is important as it sets the tooth up to last long into adulthood. When bacteria enter a child’s tooth, they will experience many of the same symptoms as adult patients (biting pain, swelling, cold sensitivity.) In cases where the roots have not completely matured, there are thankfully many modern procedures that we can perform to help encourage the continued growth of the tooth.

For many children, the visit to the endodontist can be fearful, often because of what they have heard from adults about root canals. The team at Northern Nevada Endodontics is specialized in helping anxious pediatric patients receive the care they need in a safe and comfortable manner.

Please let us know when scheduling the first appointment if your child has any fear or anxiety in regards to the dentist so that we can make sure to modify the appointment or procedure to help him or her have a great experience and set them up for success in the dental chair for years to come.

If you have dental anxiety

No other procedure in the dental field conjures up as many fears and images of a screaming patient as a root canal. Thankfully for our patients, this is incredibly outdated and we are able to treat our patients today in a very relaxed and painless matter. There are many reasons for this.

Historically, the local anesthetic used in dentistry was Novacaine. This drug has two main issues: about 15-20% of the population has a true allergy to it, and the working time for the anesthesia was only about 5 minutes. Root canals also took 2-3 hours over multiple appointments due to the technology used to clean and fill the root canals.

Thankfully all this has changed. The anesthetics used today have working times of 1-8 hours, and true allergies are so rare that they are written up as anomalies in medical journals. In addition, Dr. Sutter is able to use his expertise and modern techniques to efficiently clean the teeth far more effectively than was performed in the past and usually only requires a single one-hour appointment, depending on the case.

Even with all the advances made in the field of endodontics, it is quite common for patients with dental anxiety to have fear of this procedure. The team at Northern Nevada Endodontics are specialized in helping anxious patients get the care that they need in a calm and relaxed environment. If you have any history of anxiety, please let the team know when you first contact us for the appointment so we can best serve you.

We offer different forms of sedation to help you feel comfortable during the procedure:

Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas)

Nitrous oxide has been around since the 1800s when it was discovered by a dentist. It is extremely safe and has almost no side effects. It is inhaled through a small nose cone and makes you feel slightly relaxed. You will not be put to sleep under this medication, and you will remember the procedure. After the treatment is complete, you will breathe in 100% oxygen for a few minutes and return back to a normal state, allowing you to drive home after the procedure. For most adults, unless you have had great success with it in the past, it may not be as effective as you would like. However, for children nitrous oxide is a wonderful tool to help kids have a pleasant experience at the dentist and develop a positive relationship with dentistry and is highly recommended.

Oral Sedation

Benzodiazepines are a class of drugs that help reduce anxiety and gently sedate the patient. We use different options based on the needs of the patient, but our general medication of choice is called Halcion. This medication is wonderful as it is very quick-acting (usually only effective for 2 hours or so) and does not give you a nasty hangover like Valium. However, the best effect of this drug is it has a very strong amnesia effect, so you won’t remember anything during the procedure. For our patients with a history of horrible dental experiences, this feature is the best part of this drug! Obviously, we cannot have you driving around Nevada not knowing where you are going, so having someone to take you to and from the appointment is required. In addition, although it is an extremely safe medication, a consultation is required beforehand to review your medical history. At that appointment, you will also be able to ask the staff any questions and go over any other concerns regarding the treatment. We believe that is such a wonderful adjunct to our treatment for our anxious patients that we do not charge anything for this service. The medications are all generic and are generally less than $5 at the pharmacy. Please let us know when first contacting us if you are interested in using these medications to help reduce any anxiety.

Meet the Team

Dr. Scott Sutter, DDS

Dr. Scott Sutter has been serving the patients of Northern Nevada since 2014. He comes to Sparks from St. Louis, where he completed his residency in endodontics at St. Louis University while earning a master of science for his work in radiology.

He received his doctorate in dental surgery from the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry in San Francisco, where he focused on pediatric and special needs care. He then completed a hospital-based residency at the University of Minnesota, working primarily with special needs patients in all aspects of dentistry.

Dr. Sutter has many passions within the dental field, including caring for patients with complex medical needs and dental anxiety. In addition, Dr. Sutter feels the need to give back in the form of education and has spoken to many dental groups on various topics. He is also a professor at Saint Louis University.
Dr. Sutter is a Diplomate of the American Board of Endodontics. This grueling examination consists of a written and oral examination and a case review process. While challenging, this enriching experience ensured Dr. Sutter remains at the top of his field.

In his free time, Dr. Sutter enjoys spending time with his wife, Vanessa, their two daughters, and their two dogs. His hobbies include hiking, skiing, traveling, cooking, and photography.

Genny Berumen

Genny is a native Nevadan who grew up in Dayton and graduated from Dayton High School in 2005. Genny attended the National School of Dental Assisting in Carson City and has loved working in dentistry ever since.

Her favorite part about working in Endodontics reno is helping patients smile again. She has been working with Dr. Sutter since he started and is always looking for new ways to improve her skills.

In her free time, Genny loves spending time with her family and children. She loves dancing, camping, shooting at the range, baking, and eating really good food. She has one dog named Apollo.

Victoria Sandoval

Victoria was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, and moved here at a young age. Victoria has been in the dental field and has been working with Dr. Sutter since 2020. She is bilingual, so not only does she assist the doctor, but she’s also a considerable asset in translating for our Spanish-speaking patients.

She enjoys getting to know each of you and greets our patients with a smile. She also has the goal of becoming a Dental Hygienist. Victoria is always looking for new ways to expand her horizons and is excited to provide excellent patient experiences.

Ms. Sandoval loves spending her free time at music festivals, working out, and spending time with her family and Rottie Zeus.

Vanessa Catu

Vanessa was born in Guatemala and moved to the USA when she was 3 years old. She has been working in the dental field for 3 years now and enjoys helping patients and seeing big smiles on their faces. She is bilingual and appreciates assisting patients in communicating with the doctor to get the treatment they need. She loves to challenge herself, and she is always up to learning new skills to help her grow professionally,

She practices her cosmetologist and lash technician skills in her free time, loves spending time with her family, and likes watching movies with her 4-year-old daughter. She also travels to Guatemala to spend time with her loved ones.