Millions of teeth are treated and saved with root canals every year, relieving pain and making teeth healthy again. However, if you were recently informed by your dentist that you need a root canal, chances are you feel uneasy about the procedure. There are common myths that root canals are painful and should be avoided at all costs. This couldn’t be further from the truth. While finding out you need this tooth-saving procedure can be frightening, the benefits are great to your tooth pain and overall oral health. Stay calm, and check out these common myths that we are set out to debunk about root canal treatment.
MYTH 1: ROOT CANAL TREATMENT IS PAINFUL.
Years ago, this may have been the case, but with modern technology in dentistry, a root canal is very similar to a routine filling. The pain you feel from a toothache caused by the damaged tissue is much worse than the root canal treatment. With a root canal treatment, you will be smiling pain-free and eating the foods that you love in no time.
MYTH 2: A ROOT CANAL “KILLS” THE TOOTH.
A root canal treatment cleans and disinfects the inside of the tooth to allow it to heal. The root canal treats the infection in the tooth, but it does not kill the tooth.
MYTH 3: THE BENEFITS OF ROOT CANAL TREATMENTS ARE TEMPORARY.
Root canal results are long-lasting. They prevent the need for future dental treatment such as a bridge or implant to replace the missing tooth. Not only do root canals relieve the patient’s toothache, they preserve the tooth indefinitely. With proper care, most teeth that have had a root canal can last a lifetime.
MYTH 4: ROOT CANALS CAUSE ILLNESS.
It was believed that root canal treatment caused other illnesses throughout the body. This myth came about in response to a poorly-done study and has been debunked for almost a century. There is no valid scientific evidence to date to support this claim. Root canals are preformed to fight harmful bacterial infections from your tooth – not to cause it.
MYTH 5: IT’S BETTER TO PULL A TOOTH THAN TO HAVE A ROOT CANAL.
Saving your real tooth is always the best choice, when possible. A root canal is an effective procedure that is cost effect, highly successful, and allows you to keep your natural tooth. A root canal has a natural appearance (no missing tooth), provides the patient with normal chewing, protects the othr teeth from excessive wear and tear, and protects the integrity of the adjacent teeth. Bridges and implants require more time in treatment and an elevated cost.
It’s not your grandfather’s root canal! Just like technology changes, so has root canal treatment. If you would like to find out more about root canal treatments or think you may need one, please contact us at our office in Joplin, MO to set up an appointment today.