Debunking Myths About Root Canals

Are you experiencing debilitating tooth pain? You may need a root canal. Before you start to panic about this commonly feared procedure, McLean DDS wants to help you understand how beneficial root canal treatment really is.

The truth is, a root canal can help save your tooth and eliminate pain. With modern technology and techniques, today’s root canal treatment is safe, quick and painless. Here is a brief look at root canals, including common myths about treatment to help you feel calmer and more confident when you return to the dentist’s chair.

The Importance of Root Canals
The first step to overcoming your fears about root canals is to better understand the important role a root canal plays in preserving your natural teeth. A root canal is necessary when the inner soft tissue (the pulp) of a tooth becomes infected or inflamed due to deep decay or trauma. The pulp consists of nerves and blood vessels, which is why an infected tooth root can be so painful.

During a routine root canal procedure, the dentist removes the diseased pulp from the tooth’s inner pulp chamber. Once all of the pulp has been extracted from within the tooth, the canal is sterilized and sealed with a special material that prevents bacteria from re-entering the tooth. In many cases, your dentist will place a crown as the last step to further stabilize the tooth and protect it from future damage.

The Truth About Root Canal Treatment
Root canals get a bad reputation, but we’re here to tell you that the procedure is nothing to be feared. Here’s why:

• Root canals are not painful. Many people associate root canals with pain. However, root canal treatment doesn’t cause discomfort; it frees you from the agonizing pain associated with an infected tooth root. During a typical root canal, you are offered a variety of numbing agents and sleep dentistry options to help patients feel at ease and pain-free. After the infection has been removed from within the tooth, the dental discomfort subsides, and patients experience long-lasting relief.
• Root canals save teeth. In the past, if an infected tooth root was left untreated, the tooth would either fall out or need to be extracted. Fortunately, that’s not the case today, and patients can keep their natural teeth with root canal treatment. Saving your natural tooth is always the best option. Thanks to the procedure’s high success rate, a tooth treated with a root canal can last a lifetime with proper care.
• Root canal treatment is not long and involved. Every year in the U.S., millions of root canals are performed to relieve dental pain while saving patients’ teeth. The procedure is fairly quick, as most root canals can be completed in just one or two comfortable visits to our office. Recovery time for a root canal is minimal, and many patients are able to resume normal activities immediately following treatment with proper care.

Relieve Your Pain — Contact McLean DDS Today
Root canal treatment is one of the best ways to save a natural tooth. Don’t allow myths about this common procedure keep you from saving your teeth and relieving your pain. Our team works closely with local endodontists to perform root canals to ensure the most successful outcome for our patients’ dental health. To learn more, please contact our office today.