Why would my 13 year old have to go an endodontic for a root canal?

To have a root canal: Endodontists are expert with this procedure. You would see an endodontist to have such a procedure.

To save a tooth: Untreated tooth decay will eventually reach the tooth's nerve, causing pain and possibly infection. If the tooth is deemed restorable by a dentist, a root canal will take care of the pain/infection and save your child's tooth. I've done many root canals on young teenagers to prevent them losing permanent teeth...Drinking too many soft drinks, energy drinks, and juice are often the cause.

Unsure: If the tooth is a difficult root canal, such as a really curved root, difficult tooth to get access to, then a referral to an endodontist will be required. Another issue may be behavior management. Sometimes, younger patients are very apprehensive/emotinal and may be more challenging to work on. The dentist may not want to deal with this and would rather refer the patient out to a specialist.

Root formation: I see many children ranging from 8 year-old to 18 year-old. Most common reason is that the tooth has immature root formation which make it a challenging case because the root tip is wide open. There are many ways to handle cases like this but an endodontist is usually better equipped.