Why does root canal treatment have the worst reputation of all dental procedures?If you’ve heard someone talk about root canal treatment or have witnessed a root canal, you’ve probably asked yourself if a root canal is safe or painful? You may be asking questions such as:
Even with the latest technology and techniques, there are many misconceptions surrounding root canals. Today we’re going to unravel some of these completely false myths so you know exactly what to expect if you need endodontic treatment.
Why Is There So Much Confusion About Root Canal Treatment?
Depending on who you ask, you’ll hear very different opinions about root canal treatment, the materials dentists use during the procedure, and whether the procedure actually works.
Root canals, also called endodontic treatment, are not like a typical filling or dental crown. Instead of repairing the upper part of the tooth that you see on the gums, they extend to the length of the root. Therefore, special equipment or training is required to perform root canal treatment.
If not done correctly or if there are complications, the root canal may fail and require retreatment. Fortunately, failure rates are extremely low.
However, the biggest misconception is whether it harms your tooth or causes pain after root canal treatment. In reality, it’s the opposite. Since root canal treated teeth no longer have nerve sources or pain receptors, they cannot feel any pain after root canal treatment. The misunderstanding of root canal pain has more to do with the infected tooth than with the root canal treatment itself.
1) No Pain No Root Canal Treatment Required
“I don’t need to do anything if my tooth doesn’t hurt”
Not exactly like that. Abscessed teeth or dying teeth may never feel pain, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need serious treatment. It’s best not to let the pain decide whether or not you can repair a dying tooth. Because if you do, you will eventually reach a point where the tooth can no longer be restored.
As the nerves inside your teeth die, they prevent the transmission of pain to the brain via nerve receptors. If they are working properly, you may experience severe toothaches or be unable to eat. However, since the nerve is not vital, you do not feel any pain.
Sometimes smaller infections like cavities don’t hurt either. But that doesn’t mean they’re not there.
When your dentist sees that your tooth’s nerve is infected or dead, root canal treatment is the only option to repair it.
2) Root Canal Treatment is Dangerous
Is root canal treatment safe? Yes. beyond doubt. Just like having a dental filling or veneer, the processes and products used to treat your teeth are approved by the Ministry of Health and are safe to have in your mouth.
Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation about the safety of root canals, much of which is based on poorly conducted research. In fact, experts and researchers have shown that the success of endodontic treatment is up to 98%.
The theory that root canal treatment is dangerous goes back to the early 1900s. However, these concepts were shown to be completely unfounded and unreliable, especially since no control group was used and bacteria were deliberately placed in the tested areas.
Today, root canal treatment is as safe as any other restorative procedure, such as dental implants or filling a cavity.
3) They Keep Toxins Inside Your Teeth
Some people are concerned about the safety of root canals because they believe they trap toxins or other dangerous substances in your body.
During root canal treatment, your dentist or endodontist removes all bacteria and dead nerve tissue from your teeth. So no, they don’t hold toxins inside your tooth. As clean and sterile as possible. The only problem you run into is probably the lack of auxiliary canals with additional nerve tissues, so some root canals are referred to endodontists.
What about the material used to fill your tooth? Most root canals use gutta-percha, a rubber-like material, to fill and seal your canals. Gutta percha has natural antimicrobial properties and has been used in root canals for over 150 years.
4) Root Canal Treatment Causes Pain
Why do people say root canal treatment is so painful? Usually this is because they were waiting and had a serious dental infection. Toothaches are not only extremely painful and uncomfortable, but abscessed nerves and blood vessels also make it more difficult to numb your tooth. Local anesthesia won’t work either when there is severe swelling, making it even more difficult to relax you. Adding more medication will not necessarily relieve you of pain, which will make your tooth more sensitive during actual treatment.
Fortunately, there is a solution. Treat abscess before aggressive inflammation of traumatized tooth. But if there is severe swelling, taking antibiotics until your appointment can help the local anesthetic work properly. This way you will only feel a little pressure.
After root canal treatment, your tooth can no longer feel live or painful stimuli because there are no nerves in it. Any irritation or pain you feel is something else, like your injection site or a sore muscle from keeping your mouth open for a long time. After the procedure, there may be tenderness due to natural tissue inflammation, but if you feel severe pain after the effect of local anesthesia, consult your dentist.
5) It is always better to have a tooth extracted
If you are concerned about whether root canal treatment is safe, you always have the option of pulling your tooth instead. But is tooth extraction equal to or better than root canal treatment?
No way. In fact, it is considered a worse option than endodontic treatment.
So why? Because with root canal treatment, you can protect your natural tooth for life. However, tooth extraction creates a chain reaction in your mouth. By creating extra space, you must do one of the following to replace it;
.Having a dental implant that increases the overall cost
. Having a dental bridge that physically replaces and weakens the healthy teeth next to your missing teeth
.By doing nothing to allow the surrounding teeth to come out of alignment (may cause jaw joint disorder or tooth breakage)
The best solution is always to save as much of your tooth as possible. And root canal treatment is your last line of defense.
6) Root Canal Treatment is Temporary
Does root canal treatment only give short-term results? No, root canal treatment is permanent. A well-maintained tooth with a root canal should last the rest of your life.
However, sometimes you may need to replace the crown on your root canal-treated tooth. Especially if you’re not great at flossing every day.
There are other types of endodontic procedures that are not permanent. For example, a pulpotomy. Pulpotomies are like “baby root canals” in deciduous or deciduous teeth, used to treat abscesses and toothache before the tooth is replaced with an adult tooth shortly thereafter. It does not repair or strengthen the tooth, but removes the nerve and source of discomfort.
But once you have root canal treatment, it is forever permanent. The only time the root canal is not permanent is when you have to return for retreatment, which is extremely rare.
7) Root Canals May Cause Future Health Problems
Does root canal treatment cause serious health problems such as cancer or heart disease?
As with any health claim, you have to look at data and research. When you do, you will find that endodontic treatment does not add to other medical concerns and is not proven in any way.
For the past century, endodontic treatment has been performed worldwide without any scientific studies linking it to major medical concerns. Including heart attack and cancer.
However, there are studies showing the opposite, showing that abscessed teeth increase the risk of heart attack. If you leave the abscessed teeth untreated, the infection inside your mouth can pass through the bloodstream to the heart, around the brain, and even to an unborn child. In rare but serious cases, an untreated dental abscess can cause brain infections or even death.
As a result;
If you have serious concerns about whether you should have root canal treatment, we recommend getting a second opinion. Talking to a dentist or endodontist (a root canal specialist) can help you feel more confident about your oral health decisions.
Is root canal treatment safe? %one hundred. Does root canal treatment hurt? No. But as with any dental procedure, there will be risks with sedation or anesthesia, so your dentist will still ask you to sign paperwork beforehand. However, if you have a tooth abscess, you can actually feel safe knowing that the safest and healthiest thing you can do for your smile is root canal treatment.