Don't believe everything you hear about root canal treatment. We’ll help you understand the reality and find the best approach for your tooth.
Myths about root canal treatment
Root canal treatments have been subject to more than their share of myths over the years.
Most common are the myths that it’s a scary and painful procedure, or that it causes illnesses and disease.
Leaving a diseased tooth untreated is what actually causes more widespread problems. And postponing treatment means there is less chance of saving your tooth and restoring your mouth and smile. A specialist endodontist can ensure the procedure is safe, relatively pain-free and with no lasting side effects.
If you are still doubtful, please consider these three common myths about root canals:
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Myth 1: Root canal treatment is painful.
Decades ago that may have been the case, but with modern technology and anesthetics you won’t experience any more pain than if you went to have a cavity filled. If you are already in pain from a severe toothache, often caused by damaged tissues in the tooth, we can easily relieve this by removing the damaged tissue through root canal treatment. We are experts in pain management, and most cases can be treated quickly and comfortably.
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Myth 2: Root canal treatment causes illness.
Information you may find on the Internet or elsewhere that claims a root canal treatment can make you become ill or develop a disease in the future simply isn’t true. This false claim is based on long-debunked and poorly-designed research conducted nearly a century ago, long before modern medicine understood the causes of many diseases. There is no valid, scientific evidence linking root canal treatment to disease elsewhere in the body.
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Myth 3: It’s better to pull a tooth than have root canal treatment.
Saving your natural teeth, if possible, is always the best option. Nothing artificial can replace the look or function of a natural tooth so always consider root canal treatment as a preferred option. Endodontic treatment has a high success rate and many root canal-treated teeth last a lifetime. Replacing an extracted tooth with a bridge or implant requires more time and cost and may result in further procedures to neighboring teeth and supporting tissue.
Reference: information copyrighted by and courtesy of the American Association of Endodontics.