When it comes to root canal therapy, there is an abundance of misconceptions out there. Our duty as dentists is to inform you about the truth behind root canals and this includes demystifying these misconceptions, so you can see how beneficial root canal therapy can be for your health. Old Milton Dental is here to answer all your questions and educate you about root canals from our dentist in Alpharetta. Read on to learn more about the misconceptions about root canals, but first, we will explain to you how a root canal treatment works.
What is a Root Canal?
As soon as a patient hears the words “root canal” they wince in pain and fear, scared of the procedure that awaits them. Fortunately, root canals are not actually a painful procedure. By being aware of what is going to happen during the procedure should help you feel less scared about your upcoming treatment. The only thing that hurts during the procedure is the own fear you have instilled in your own mind.
Root canals are actually very common procedures and they can save you from having a tooth extraction. Some of the most common reasons a patient will require a root canal are first from an infected root. This can be caused by a deep cavity that has not been treated. As a result, you may be in a significant amount of pain from the infection and inflammation. This is a huge reason why we encourage patients to seek dental treatment as soon as they feel something is wrong. It’s also beneficial to visit us twice a year for dental exams so we can identify problems before they become worse and more difficult to treat. Common symptoms can include extreme pain and swelling in the face and tooth.
Another reason a patient may require a root canal is from an abscess or trauma or a previous dental procedure that was performed poorly. This can also result in an infected tooth with the only options being extraction or a root canal. We always recommend saving your tooth if that is a possibility. Saving your tooth will keep your bone mass present in your jaw and save you from expensive restorations like dental implants.
The procedure for a root canal in Alpharetta is quite simple. Our dentist will first numb you up so you don’t feel any pain and provide you with any necessary sedation dentistry to help you relax. He will then remove any fluid around the root of the tooth and any of the bacteria that lies within. To do this, he will need to drill a small hole in your tooth. Next, a suction tool is used to suck up all of the decaying dental pulp and infected fluid. The inside of the tooth then becomes empty and absent of infection and bacteria. Our dentist will then fill in the inside of your tooth using a composite filling substance and then place a dental crown over your tooth to protect it in the long run and to ensure no bacteria gets inside.
Continue reading to learn the truth behind misconceptions about root canals.
Misconception: Root Canals Are Painful
This is the most common misconception about root canals. It is actually not the root canal itself that is painful, it’s the pain that occurs before the root canal that is actually all of the pain. Following your root canal procedure, almost all of your pain will be gone and after you are healed, you won’t notice any dental pain. During your procedure, your Alpharetta dentist will ensure you feel no pain. Dr. Mazer will even provide you with sedation dentistry to help relax you and prevent any pain from occurring. The myth that root canals are painful stems back to the days when anesthetics were not available for the procedure. During the seventeenth century, patients felt everything but this is not true today. We can ensure you that you won’t feel any pain during your root canal.
Root Canals are Expensive
This may be a true myth for some dentist, as all dentists determine their own rates, but it is not true here. Old Milton Dental is committed to promising affordable dentistry in Alpharetta whether it be for cosmetic dentistry or a root canal. We want our patients to receive all of the dental care they need. There is always financing options available if the patient doesn’t have enough money to pay for the procedure up front. In the end, root canals are cheaper than having a tooth extracted and then replaced either with a dental implant or with a dental bridge. The most expensive part of the root canal will be the dental crown that is placed on the restored tooth if it is needed. In the long run, a root canal is more cost efficient than an extraction and restoration.
Root Canals are Likely to Fail
This is also a very common misconception about root canals. This misconception may have been true over 50 years ago. The rate for lifetime success of a root canal is 85%. Nobody can guarantee that your root canal will last for life or that you won’t develop a problem or need a crown or filling in the future, but an 85% success rate is very high and proves that root canals are the smartest treatment solution for infected teeth.
Schedule Your Root Canal in Alpharetta Today
Now that you are more educated about root canal treatment and have demystified common misconceptions about root canals, it’s time to spot waiting and schedule your root canal treatment. Your root canal treatment will help eliminate any pain you may feel. Your root canal in Alpharetta will save your tooth from needing an extraction and restore your smile to complete health. Contact Old Milton Dental today by calling us or filling out our online contact form. If you are interested in having sedation dentistry to keep you relaxed during the visit, mention that in your phone call or message and we will make sure we have the correct medicines available.