Countering Common Myths about Root Canal

When you hear the word root canal, you start imagining about a person holding his/her swollen jaw and complaining about the extreme pain. This is what most of us are led to believe. But if you think about it from a wider perspective, you may wonder what the root canal is for, and that if it really causes this much pain.

There are myths about root canal treatment that have become pretty popular among people. These are the very myths which make people think about root canal treatment as something which requires alternatives on immediate basis. However, the matter of fact is that these myths are nothing more than just myths in today’s world.

Before we talk about the myths, it is worth mentioning what a root canal treatment really is and why you may need it. The root canal treatment is the process of removal of infected pulp from the tooth. Infection in pulp is dangerous not only for the tooth itself but also for the jawbone and neighboring teeth. In some cases, it can lead to other overall health issues.

The need for root canal treatment may occur due to the following reasons.

• Cracked or damaged teeth
• Cavities that reach the tooth’s depth
• Abscess
• Infection due to previous unsuccessful treatment

The infected pulp of tooth leads to the infected root. Root canal treatment mainly involves drilling of tooth from the chewing surface. The hold created opens up the way to tooth pulp. The pulp is then removed along with the infection.

Myths about root canal

Root canal is painful

While root canal treatment has been painful in the past, it is not the case now. Root canal treatment now involves careful administration of anesthesia which numbs the tooth and neighboring nerves effectively. Moreover, there are certain methods which can help you prevent the pain after the surgery.

Tooth removal is the better option

Perhaps the only reason you go for root canal treatment is that you want to save your tooth. Now, many people argue that removing the tooth is more preferable as compared to getting root canal treatment. Well, it would be worth mentioning here that tooth restoration, no matter how good it is, after tooth removal doesn’t fully restore the tooth’s function. And, a root canal treatment can help in restoring the function of your tooth quite effectively.

Pain is the main reason you need root canal

Most people think that root canal is needed only when tooth starts hurting due to infection. Well, there may be a lot of cases in which the tooth dies. When that happens, the infection remains there without causing any pain. The major disadvantage of infection persisting in the dead nerves is that it keeps infecting the jawbone. Hence, it is important to visit the dentist and get the oral cavity checked thoroughly.