Common Misconceptions About Root Canals

If you feel forced to keep your lips sealed due to bad teeth and painful gums, having it restored by a dentist may be what you need to help get the sparkle back in your teeth.

On that note, endodontic treatment such as root canals is a field that aims to extract pain and provide relief to patients suffering from mild to severe dental problems. It seeks to repair teeth that are badly decaying as the nerve and pulp are removed, while the inside of the tooth is cleaned and sealed. Without root canal treatments, the tissue surrounding the tooth will eventually become infected, and abscesses may form.

Unfortunately, root canal therapy is also one of the most feared dental procedures. Many patients would prefer to extract a tooth rather than save it with a root canal due to myths that prevent patients from making informed decisions regarding the appropriate treatment for their teeth. For that reason, we’re here to debunk common misconceptions about root canal so you can see the benefits of the root canal treatment and how it can bring back the confidence in your smile:

Myth #1: Root Canal Therapy is Painful

Problems with your teeth’s root canal can cause severe pain as it is an irreversible condition. The infected pulp inside your tooth slowly kills the nerves, which is what causes the sharp pain most patients feel when suffering from this dental ailment.

The procedure of root canal therapy, on the other hand, involves modern technology and anesthetics that prevent you from feeling discomfort during the process. Removing the damaged tissues in your tooth is now a quick and comfortable procedure that can provide significant relief afterward.

Myth #2: Root Canal Therapy Requires Several Appointments

Before proceeding to the day of the procedure, your dentist may need to consider the following factors:

• The extent of the infection
• The difficulty of the root canal
• Whether or not a referral to a root canal specialist is necessary

The overall process should take between one to two appointments at most. There are, however, necessary steps needed after receiving a root canal treatment to ensure the tooth functions properly. It may make a few appointments when restoring the tooth after the procedure, though it is no longer considered part of the root canal treatment.

Myth #3: Your Teeth Need to Hurt Before Root Canal Therapy Becomes Necessary

The nerves decaying in your tooth can be a long process, and it may often take a while before it becomes painful. During your regular dental check-up, your dentist may examine your teeth thoroughly and discover a tooth is nearly dying through tests like temperature testing, percussion testing, or with the use of a pulp vitality machine. For that reason, your dentist may recommend you to take root canal therapy to prevent your tooth from becoming infected, eliminating the chances of suffering from severe pain in the long run.

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