Common Myths and Facts About Root Canal Procedures

As dental experts, our team at Hillsdale Dental Care, with Drs. Roge Jacob and Magdalena Azzarelli at the helm, is always surprised when our recommendation for a root canal procedure is met with a moan.

The reality is that there’s very little basis for the bad reputation that root canals have developed. In fact, you have everything to gain and little to lose by undergoing a root canal procedure. 

Let’s take a look.

Myth: Root canal procedures lead to pain

One of the primary reasons that drove you to our office is the pain that comes with an infection in your root canal, which can be significant. 

The best way to remedy that pain is through a root canal procedure, which makes the effort one of pain relief. So, this myth becomes fact when we make one simple change: “Root canal procedures lead to pain relief.”

Fact: A root canal procedure prevents tooth loss

Each year in the United States, dental experts like ourselves perform about 15 million root canal procedures, helping patients to hold on to their teeth. When you have an infection in the roots of your teeth, it’s a matter of when, not if, you will eventually lose that tooth.

A root canal procedure is a next-in-line treatment for tooth decay behind the common filling in terms of tooth preservation, which is our overriding goal.

Holding on to your natural teeth is optimal for your oral health and helps to prevent tooth loss complications, including bone loss in your jaw.

Myth: A crown is a replacement tooth

When we perform a root canal procedure, we need to access the roots of your teeth through your crown to remove the infection. As a result, we typically cap your tooth afterward with a crown.

The crown of your tooth only represents half of your tooth, as the all-important roots are unseen beneath your gums and jawbone. 

While your crown may incur some damage due to the root canal procedure, your tooth and its roots are still intact, and we place a cap to prevent further damage.

Fact: A root canal procedure is economical

Thanks to our ability to save your infected tooth through a root canal procedure, you don’t have to find a more costly tooth-replacement option.

Myth: A root canal procedure is painful

With modern dentistry, we have taken most of the pain out of dental work, including root canal procedures. Before we get started, we ensure that you’re comfortable with a local anesthetic. You may feel some discomfort when we inject the anesthetic, but you should feel nothing at all afterward.

After you get home and the anesthetic wears off, you may feel some soreness in your mouth, but it will pale in comparison to the pain the infection was causing. Not to mention, this soreness goes away in a day or two, and some ibuprofen goes a long way toward relieving the minor side effect.

The bottom line is that a root canal procedure is long on benefits and short on drawbacks.

If you have more questions about a root canal procedure, please feel free to contact our office in San Jose, California, to schedule a consultation.