Root canals are one of the most often-maligned dental treatments, and any dentist will tell you that it’s one of the procedures patients dread more than anything else. They’ll also happily tell you that this reputation certainly isn’t earned—root canals are nothing to be scared of.
Part of their reputation may come from some of the myths surrounding their treatment. In the interest of setting the record straight, here are some of the most common myths about root canals along with why you shouldn’t pay them any mind.
Myth 1: Root Canals are Painful
One of the first things that dentists will talk to their patients about when it comes to root canals is that the treatment isn’t nearly as painful as they assume. In fact, your teeth will be numbed completely before the procedure begins, meaning that you can expect your root canal to be entirely painless.
Myth 2: Root Canals are Only Necessary If You’re in Pain
Usually what brings people to the dentist’s for a root canal is a toothache. Severe tooth pain is typically an indicator of an infection from within the tooth, which root canals are often the best treatment for. However, lack of pain doesn’t necessarily mean that an infection isn’t present. There are situations where an infection can degrade the root pulp to such an extent that you can no longer feel your toothache—while you’ll no longer be in pain, the bacteria in your mouth will be as rampant as ever.
If your dentist tells you that you need a root canal, you should pursue one whether or not your tooth hurt.
Myth 3: Tooth Extractions are Easier than Root Canals
Patients sometimes want to skip root canals by just removing the infected tooth entirely, assuming that’s the easier process. However, this isn’t the case. Tooth extractions involve a lot of aftercare, and entail a greater risk of complications than root canals do. Moreover, you’ll have to replace the teeth that you’ve lost, which will incur a greater cost than if you just got a root canal in the first place. For this reason, root canals are by far the easier procedure to handle.
About Our Practice
At Advanced Dental Treatment Center, we believe that dental care should be more than just effective—it should be as comfortable as possible. We make it a point to offer our patients incredible dental care from every angle, meaning that no matter what brings you to our office we can guarantee that you’ll be satisfied with what we’re able to provide you. Whether you need a simple checkup or a root canal, you’ll leave our office completely healthy.
If you have any questions about root canals, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (414) 209-7465.