It’s hard to go through live without the specter of root canals showing itself somewhere. Whether you’ve needed one yourself or know someone who has they’re not unusual. The same can’t be said for the rumors that surround them, though. There’s a lot of bad information about root canals floating around out there!
We perform a lot of root canals at Edgewood Dental Care and each patient who’s had one has needed it. They are a routine dental care practice that saves thousands of teeth a year and are nowhere near as bad as people make them out to be! We want to clear the air about root canals and help you understand why they’re such an important part of good oral health care.
Why Get A Root Canal?
There’s just one reason to get a root canal: a cavity that’s reached the center of your tooth. The soft tissue at the root of a tooth is called the dental pulp, and it’s where all the nerves and blood vessels that feed your teeth reside. When a cavity reaches the dental pulp it quickly becomes infected and decayed, leading to pain and the potential for further infection outside the tooth.
To relieve pain, preserve your tooth, and prevent the spread of infection a root canal is necessary. We start by removing the infected portion of your tooth, and when we reach the root we use special tools to remove the infected pulp. Once cleaned we seal the tooth with a rubber material and cover it with a crown to prevent further damage. You’ll feel much better almost as soon as the anesthesia wears off!
Root Canal Myths
They’re Painful: False!
Confusing these two is common for patients, especially considering all the pain they’re in before the root canal procedure! Not only is the procedure itself painless (you’re fully numbed up) but the results are almost instantaneous. As soon as the infected tissue is removed you’ll feel much better – many of our patients are shocked by the easy recovery.
Infections Come Back: False!
This rumor has been around since the early 1900’s and it was just as wrong then! Originally called the focal infection theory, the idea held that it was the tooth itself was the source of the infection, so a root canal would still leave patients at risk for further illness. While it’s true that root canals 115 years ago weren’t as precise and did have a very slim chance of secondary infection, the focal theory was proven false within 20 years.
We now know that the bacteria is the cause of the infection. Modern root canal tools and techniques eliminate almost all secondary infections, making them reliable, safe, and with very little risk.
It’s Better To Pull The Tooth: False!
At Edgewood Dental Care we always want to preserve your natural teeth. There’s no better substitute for keeping your mouth safe and healthy – even a dental implant can’t match the real thing! By removing the source of pain and infection, sealing your tooth, and preserving it with a crown we’re able to keep you healthy and keep your mouth in the best condition it can be.
Losing a tooth – even a single one – can have catastrophic effects on your oral health. Your teeth rely on each other to stay in place and retain stability, and when one is lost the other start to shift around, loosen, and potentially fall out. That’s why we always try to preserve your teeth!
Root Canals Relieve Pain And Protect Teeth: True!
When you have a toothache it’s a good possibility that you need a root canal. Tooth decay is incredibly common and every untreated root canal is just one more potentially infected root. We want to be sure that your mouth stays healthy so don’t ignore the pain!
If you think you may need a root canal we can help! We want to make your experience a good one and we’re confident that you’ll be surprised at what a root canal can do. If you’re in pain don’t wait – call our Edgewood office at 859-474-7830 or request an appointment by filling out our online form. We look forward to seeing you soon!