The Truth Behind Root Canals

Lafayette, CA

Many people seem to have a phobia of dental care and the variety of procedures in which they believe that professional dental care will be painful. In reality, most dental visits are not nearly as painful as people fear. The truth is that the patient will feel more pain if he or she avoids seeking professional treatment. Regardless, there is one procedure that people seem to fear above the rest: the root canal.

The Need for a Root Canal Procedure

The root canal is a crucial procedure for removing infected dental pulp from within a tooth. Beneath the outer shell of the tooth, known as the enamel, is the dentin and then the dental pulp. The dental pulp contains the blood vessels and nerves within each tooth. If the dental pulp becomes infected, then the patient will begin to experience incredible amounts of pain.

Thus, a root canal procedure is necessary to remove the dental pulp and ensure the infection has not spread to other areas of the mouth. In fact, a regular dentist may not be enough to treat the root canal and the patient may need to see an endodontist. An endodontist is a dentist who specializes in maintaining teeth by treating the soft inner tissue of the teeth.

People may even avoid seeking proper treatment due to believing these myths about root canals. There are several myths about root canals that people still believe. Below are the myths and the truths behind each of them.

#1. Root canals are painful

The truth is that root canals are not painful like people believe. Most professional endodontists will use anesthesia to numb the area of the procedure and help the patient relax. Thanks to the anesthesia, the patient will not feel any pain during the procedure and the endodontist can proceed without issue.

Following the procedure, the patient may feel some level of soreness, but will be able to treat the soreness with pain killers or stronger medication the endodontist recommends.

#2. I will be unable to eat hard foods after a root canal procedure

Actually, a root canal will not prevent you from ever consuming your favorite foods again. With the root canal procedure, you will no longer feel pain since the procedure removes the nerve of the tooth. Once the endodontist covers the tooth back up, you will actually have less feeling within that tooth than before.

Immediately following the procedure, there may be a few days in which you need to eat carefully and avoid biting directly on hard foods with the tooth. However, after this period, you will be able to eat what you want when you want. While a dental crown that covers the tooth may require maintenance from time to time, you will be able to continue eating and living on your regular schedule.

#3. Root canals require the dentist to remove the entire tooth

This is false. In reality, we want to keep the natural teeth in the best shape possible and only recommend a complete extraction when it is completely necessary. Thus, an endodontist will use a root canal to remove the infected portion of the tooth and cover the tooth back up to ensure that the infection does not spread.

There is no reason to remove the entire tooth unless the infection consumes the tooth beyond repair and is spreading to other teeth. This is why we recommend that people seek treatment from an endodontist as soon as possible.

#4. Root canals cause illnesses in the patient

While some people may believe that root canals make you more susceptible to illnesses and disease, it is not true. There is no evidence that states this fact that professionals did not debunk. The truth is that you are more likely to get sick from leaving the infection in the tooth and not seeking a root canal procedure. If the infection is in an upper tooth and it spreads through the sinuses, a patient can die if he or she does not seek treatment.

With proper dental hygiene and regular checkups, we can help to keep your teeth healthy. In the case of a serious dental infection, an endodontist can help effectively remove the infection without having to remove the entire tooth.

#5. Root canals will take multiple appointments

While an endodontist may need two appointments, one to identify that a root canal is necessary and one to perform the root canal, a root canal will not require multiple visits. If the patient schedules an emergency appointment due to unbearable pain, then the endodontist will do everything possible to treat the tooth immediately.

If the patient needs more intensive endodontic surgery, then the endodontist will schedule a second appointment specifically for the surgery. It is understandable that people have busy schedules, but it will be extremely difficult to function each day with a dental infection.

Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: The Truth Behind Root Canals Lafayette

Questions Answered on This Page

Q. Are root canals painful?

Q. Does a root canal remove the entire tooth?

Q. How many appointments will the root canal take?

Definition of Dental Implant Terminology

Alveolar Bone

The alveolar bone is the bone surrounding the root of the tooth that keeps the tooth in place.

Denture Base

The denture base is the part of the denture that connects the artificial teeth with the soft tissue of the gums.

Fixed Full Arch Restoration

A fixed full arch restoration is a common treatment option for edentulous patients who are missing either all or at least an entire arch of their teeth.

Full Arch Rehabilitation

Full arch rehabilitation involves using the All-on-4 ™ to help patients maintain and use a new set of teeth that look natural.

Graftless Procedure

A graftless procedure is a dental implant procedure that does not require the use of a bone graft prior to placing the dental implants.

Periodontal Disease

Periodontal disease is a condition that causes inflammation of the gingival tissues and membrane of the teeth, leading to tooth loss without professional treatment.

Resin/Acrylic

Resin and Acrylic are resinous materials that can be components in a denture base.

Clasp

A clasp is a device that holds a removable partial denture prosthesis to the teeth.

Edentulous

Edentulous is a term that applies to people who do not have any teeth.

Fixed Provisional Bridge

A fixed provisional bridge is a dental bridge that a dentist cements in place for a temporary amount of time to see if it works properly before making the bridge permanent.

Full Arch Treatment

Full arch treatment is the treatment process of replacing an entire arch of missing teeth and ensuring that everything fits properly.

Nobel Biocare

Nobel Biocare is a company that manufactures dental implants and continues to innovate the market with new products and designs.

Stomatitis

A resin bonded bridge is a dental bridge that professionals fix to the surrounding t teeth with a type of resin to provide patients with a long-lasting solution.

Pontic

Pontic is another term for an artificial tooth on a fixed partial denture.

Helpful Related Links

American Dental Association (ADA). Glossary of Dental Terms. 2015
American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry® (AACD). Home Page. 2015
WebMD. WebMD’s Oral Care Guide. 2015

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Lafayette Dental Implant Center was established in 2004.
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