Give Tooth Decay the Boot with a Root Canal

Root canals have gotten a bad reputation from how they are represented in movies and cartoons. This has led to a plethora of misconceptions about the procedure and its aftereffects. Some unqualified people will tell you that you should consider it a last resort and consider just having the tooth pulled instead. The truth is that if your dentist tells you that you need a root canal, you have nothing to despair over. Here’s why getting a root canal can be a very good thing.

Modern Root Canals Are Painless

The most common misconception about root canals is that they are extremely painful. This popular falsehood may be the result of people’s bad experiences in previous decades. The truth today is that local anesthetics make the procedure completely painless. You can expect the tooth to feel strange for a while afterward, but you’ll get used to it soon enough. Your smile will be feeling great in no time.

A Root Canal Can Save Your Tooth from Extraction

If you’re going to the dentist’s office for a root canal, it may be because you have a throbbing toothache. These toothaches happen when tooth decay breaches the hard outer layers of a tooth and infects the pulp within. If this tooth decay is allowed to progress, it can spread its infection to other teeth, cause the loss of the infected tooth, or even lead to dangerous secondary infections like sepsis. A root canal can eliminate the infection without extracting the infected tooth. You’ll save yourself both the tooth and the expense of an extensive restoration.

Root Canals Are Not Debilitating

It is simply false that root canals can cause disease. The truth is that they prevent future infections in the treated tooth. Root canals have become much more efficient over the decades, and the procedure only takes a few hours. While you’ll probably want to take the rest of the day off work after a root canal, you can expect to be back to your normal activities the next day. You may experience some soreness for a few days afterward, but this can be managed with over-the-counter pain relievers and is nothing when compared to the miserable agony of a throbbing toothache.

Needing a root canal is nothing to get anxious about. Dentists perform millions of these procedures every year, and the average dental healthcare provider will have much experience in the process. If you are scheduled for a root canal soon, you can rest assured that your tooth will no longer be giving you trouble afterward.

About the Author

Dr. Xinxing Liu earned her dental degree from the Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine in Ft. Lauderdale, FL and has practiced family dentistry in the Dallas area for years. Under her leadership, Ross Avenue Family Dental provides excellent dental care in a relaxing environment. Her office in Dallas, TX offers general, pediatric, cosmetic, emergency, and restorative dentistry such as root canal treatments. For more information, contact her office online or dial (469) 210-7223.