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Myths About Root Canals

Myths About Root Canals

Nobody wants to get the news, “Looks like you need a root canal.” We have all heard the horror stories of infection, pain and the agony of sitting through a root canal. But how much of those horror stories is actually true? At the Dental Store, a root canal is practically painless and it is a simple procedure that saves natural teeth. Let’s delve into and debunk several myths about root canals.

Myth #1: Root canal therapy is painful.

We will get this one out of the way first. In the past few decades there has been significant advancement in dental technology and techniques. These advancements have made root canal treatment as painless and easy as getting a small cavity filled. Dentists and endodontists or root canal specialists, are experts in pain management. Before starting the procedure, they will make sure the tooth is completely anesthetized with a local anesthetic. A root canal actually relieves pain. Patients are usually in significant pain when they need the treatment due to infection and decay. But it is a common myth that the treatment in painful.

Myth #2: It is better to extract the tooth than have a root canal.

There is nothing like your natural tooth. Implants are a great option when a tooth has been lost. But it still is not as good as your own natural tooth. Our teeth fit together in the jaw bone and come together in our bite for optimal function. When a tooth is lost, the dentist tries his or her best to recreate the natural tooth but it there is nothing like keeping your tooth. It is also more cost effective to treat the tooth with a root canal and crown verses tooth extraction, bone grafting, implant, abutment and crown. Teeth treated with root canals have a very high success rate and often last a lifetime in the patients mouth.

Myth #3: Teeth treated with a root canal causes other ill health effects.

Recently the media has been reporting that patients who have root canals go on to have further illnesses and diseases. This is a myth and is simply not true. The recent news is based on old and untested reports from a handful of dentists and doctors. There is no recent scientific evidence supporting any claims that root canals cause any harmful affects to the body. Root canals are preformed safely and effectively.