Endodontists are dental providers who specialize in saving teeth. Root canals are the most common procedure they perform.
Saving a tooth through endodontic treatment should always be the first choice for the best results. By saving your natural teeth, you’ll save your ability to efficiently chew, bite normally, eat your favorite foods, maintain your natural appearance, and limit the need for more expensive, ongoing dental work!
Dr. James A. Penney III is an experienced endodontist, trusted in central Arkansas for providing high-quality dental care. Dr. Penney and his team aim to alleviate any pain while protecting your smile. Treating patients with compassion and creating an environment that maximizes comfortability, you can count on this team to make sure your care is relatively painless. Answering questions and keeping patients informed is one way to manage potential procedure anxiety. That’s why Dr. Penney has taken the time to debunk some of the common myths about root canals.
1. It is Painful
Root canal treatment does NOT cause pain, it relieves it! Root canals, back in the day, without modern technology and anesthetics, were painful. However, modern-day root canals are painless, and no more uncomfortable than having a filling placed. Generally, you see a dentist when you have pain, and you are recommended treatment to alleviate that pain. Root canals are meant to rid you of the pain-causing infection and damage.
Patients who choose to have a root canal are six times more likely to experience a “painless” procedure than those who choose extraction.
2. It Can Cause Illness
This myth is derived from long-debunked research conducted a century ago by Dr. Weston A. Price, who was conducting research at a time before the medical field understood the causes of disease, However, there is no valid, scientific evidence linking root canal-treated teeth to disease elsewhere in the body. A root canal intends to eliminate bacteria from the infected root canals, prevent reinfection, and save the natural tooth.
3. Tooth Extraction is a Good Alternative
Saving your natural teeth, if possible, will always be the best option. There are no ways to completely replace a natural tooth. Artificial teeth will never be able to fully replace your natural tooth, as you may have to avoid certain foods and continue to replace or correct the replacement tooth.
4. The Roots are Removed
At the center of your teeth is pulp–a collection of blood vessels that help to build the surrounding tooth. The pulp can get infected, causing trauma, decay, and damage. To eliminate infected material, this procedure removes Injured pulp, and the root canal system will be thoroughly cleaned and sealed. No roots are removed.
5. It is Only Needed for Persistent Tooth Pain
Depending on the type of damage or decay, pain is not always a symptom to indicate treatment is needed. Some types of cracked teeth may not cause pain, but damage to the pulp can still occur. If the pulp is damaged or infected, a root canal is needed to treat the tooth.
6. It’s the More Expensive Option
Extracting a tooth will require artificial replacements in order to prevent your other teeth from shifting and from experiencing future dental problems. The cost of tooth replacement is often higher than the cost of an endodontic procedure to save your teeth!
If you have questions, or would like to schedule an appointment, call 501-227-7668 at any time!