Myths About Root Canal Treatment
As far as dental treatments go, root canal has a particularly bad reputation. This is not something that the average person thinks of in positive terms, as the commonly-accepted idea of root canal is one of serious pain and discomfort. In fact, when talking about how painful something else may have been, someone may even say that it was ‘like having a root canal’.
This treatment certainly has something of a PR problem, but is the reputation actually deserved? Let’s take a quick look at some of the myths surrounding root canal which may have people a little more worried than is necessary. If you still have questions about root canal after reading through this post, we would love to help you get answers. Contact Spokane Dental right away to learn more about what we offer and why we would be the right place to care for your oral health needs.
It’s Gonna Hurt!
We might as well start here because this is the big one. Typically, dental patients expect that root canal treatment1 is going to be extremely painful. It has a reputation as one of the most painful things that can be done in a dental office, so many who are scheduled for a root canal are extremely nervous about the treatment for weeks in advance. This is a shame, as the actual experience of having a root canal does not typically match the expectations.
To understand why people expect a root canal to be so painful, we need to back up a bit. In the early days of this procedure, it did hurt. The early versions of root canal treatment could be quite painful, which is quite surely why the reputation became what it is today. But here’s the good news – those days are long gone. Today, a root canal may actually be pain-free. And, if you do experience some discomfort, it should be modest and not anything like what you may be expecting.
At the end of the day, it is important to remember that the goal of a root canal is to relieve pain. You are experiencing pain because of some kind of condition, and the root canal treatment is meant to take that pain away. So, rather than being anxious about the pain that you are worried about, you should instead be looking forward to the relief that you will be provided.
You Need to be in Extreme Pain
Some people seem to think that it will be necessary to suffer greatly with tooth pain before you can have a root canal. That is simply not the case. This is why it is important to regularly check in with your dentist for exams. Sure, sometimes it will be pain that leads you to come in for treatment and ultimately have a root canal. In other cases, however, you won’t be in any pain at all ahead of time. You may have something like a dead or dying tooth discovered during a checkup, and your dentist may want to perform a root canal to stay ahead of the game and save you from pain that would be coming down the line.
Many Visits Will Be Necessary
You live a busy life, and you probably don’t like the idea of having to visit the dentist’s office several times in order to have something like a root canal treatment completed. Well, if you think that you’ll be running to and from the dentist’s office every other day as part of this process, you are mistaken. Most likely, you will need two appointments at the most – and you may need only one. Dental techniques have come a long way in recent years, and things that used to take considerable time and effort are now much easier to complete.
Of course, we can’t guarantee exactly how much prep you will need, because each case is different. Dental care always needs to be tailored to the specific patient, so it’s never a sure thing that your specific case will fall into a given timeline. With that said, the majority of root canal treatments take just one or two appointments, so you have a good chance of being included in that category.
You Should Just Have Your Tooth Pulled
It has been said by some that the better option – rather than a root canal – would be to simply have your tooth pulled. Again, all dentistry needs to be done on a case by case basis, but this is usually not true. Most of the time, the preferred option is to retain your original tooth, rather than giving up on it and taking it out. Since modern root canal treatments are often painless and are highly effective, there is no reason to run in the other direction and choose to just have your tooth pulled. Unless your dentist feels there is a specific reason that you should opt to have a tooth extracted, root canal treatment is likely to wind up being your best option.
So much of the talk around root canal treatment comes back to the idea that this is going to be one of the most painful things you will ever go through. In this day and age, there is simply no reason to expect that to be the case. Thanks to well-trained dentists, advanced techniques, and the benefit of many years of dental history behind us, most patients can now experience a painless or nearly painless root canal treatment. And, when it is done, those same patients can enjoy a life which is free from the pain that was adversely affecting them on a day to day basis.
Thank you for taking the time to visit our blog. We hope the article above has eased some of your fears regarding root canal treatment and maybe given you a better understanding of what it is and why it is used. Please feel free to contact Spokane Dental right away to make an appointment2 or to ask any questions that you may have for our team. We hope to serve you soon!
Resources
Blog Post Author
Contributed by DentalROI
DentalROI provides relevant dental content to help providers educate patients. The statements, services, and products referenced in this article have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and they are not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your dental provider with any questions or issues you may have. Specific recommendations may vary in different circumstances, so individual consultation is important.
Please login to publish a comment.
Comments (0)