Why Root Canals Are Not Scary

When some people tell their tales of root canals, they tell it in the same manner of those who weave scary stories while sitting around a campfire at night. It can wind up frightening the people around them more than any horror movie could. The problem is – these aren’t true, but like many other false things, they need a thorough debunking.

Here are some myths about root canals and why they are not true.

Myth 1: They Are Painful

People may tell stories about how much pain they were in during a root canal. They forget to add one thing: they were in the most agony before the canal itself. Patients have actually said that the procedure itself was no more painful than having a cavity filled. Also, they may have had this done when the dental technology was nowhere near as advanced as it is today.

What happens during a root canal is that the dentist or specialist drills into the tooth and removes the root and pulp of the tooth. This is after they have applied a local anesthetic so that the patient feels nothing.

Myth 2: They Are Time-Consuming

Again, this may have been the case when the dental technology was not as good as it currently is. Patients typically need only a single appointment for the root canal. What may take a bit longer is the reconstruction, where the dentist puts on a crown to protect the now-dead tooth.

Myth 3: They Cause Illness

This line of thinking occurs because of a research paper that was published over 100 years ago. So much has changed then, including the technology and cleanliness of dental offices. Plus, bacteria has been found in even freshly-cleaned mouths.

Myth 4: They Are Not Sturdy

Some may say that the crown is breakable. It’s only if the dentist took shortcuts while preparing the crown. Then there’s a chance that something might crack. Patients do have to still watch what they eat since the crown is not as strong as a tooth, but it’s pretty close.

Patients don’t have to be in mind-numbing pain either. Dentists have found dead teeth during dental exams and have to do the root canal then.

There’s also another school of thought that it would be better to pull the tooth and replace it with something like a dental implant. As good as the implant is, there’s nothing like having a natural tooth. Extraction should be the absolute last resort.

The people at Dental Emergency Room will ensure that the whole process goes smoothly and that patients have a positive experience with root canals.