Most people hear about root canal therapy and shiver. What most people don’t know is that a root canal treatment is the only means of saving a tooth especially if the tooth has its blood vessels and nerves damaged. Such damage to the tooth can be caused by trauma, crack or deep decay. If a root canal therapy is not done on a damaged tooth, an infection or abscess may ensue. The results can be debilitating and painful.

So, if your dentist or oral surgeon has diagnosed and recommend a root canal therapy, you should not be afraid. In this article, we will help you understand more about the procedure and why it is important to go through it if your dentist recommends it. Let’s start by looking at what most people believe about root canal and the facts about the procedure.

Root Canal Treatment Is Painful

It is believed that getting a root canal is a painful experience, but this is not true. The truth is that root canal therapy is no more uncomfortable than getting a tooth filling. In fact, root canal does relieve the pain of a damaged tooth instead of causing it. Technology has made it possible to virtually have a pain-free experience which most times is accomplished in one visit. Experienced oral surgeons understand a great deal about pain management and using anaesthetics and modern techniques, they are able to keep their patients comfortable during the procedure.

Instead Of A Root Canal, There Are Other Options

Some patients have been known to look for alternatives to their teeth problems especially when they hear they have to undergo through a root canal. Some prefer taking antibiotics and as soon as the pain goes away they think they are healed. As mentioned earlier, a badly damaged tooth may have its blood vessels and nerves damaged meaning the problem is deep rooted. Simply taking painkillers and antibiotics does not stop the spread of the infection within. A root canal is designed to disinfect the entire affected tooth and stop the infection from spreading further.

Tooth Extraction Is A Better Alternative

An infected tooth causes a lot of pain and some patients opt to have their tooth extracted rather than undergoing a root canal therapy. Saving a tooth is the better option. A root canal therapy is able to restore a tooth to its healthy state which saves you the trouble of having to replace an extracted tooth. The cost of having a root canal is relatively cheaper than having an implant or placement of a bridge later after a tooth extraction. Most root canal treated teeth can last even a lifetime.

Root Canal Takes Time To Happen

Contrary to the belief that root canal therapy takes a lot of time, the truth is that it actually takes less time. The estimated time for a root canal is 1-2 hours at most. The treatment can be done in one visit or a second appointment may be needed depending on the details of the type of tooth involved and the procedure one is having.

As you can see from the facts, root canal therapy is neither complicated nor painful as most people are led to believe. It is advisable to visit a qualified endodontist, oral surgeon or dentist who has the experience in performing root canal to ensure the treatment goes smoothly.