Most Common Myths You Find Regarding Root Canals 

If you have been told you require a root canal treatment, you probably started researching this common but poorly understood dental procedure the second you left the dentist’s office. According to a dentist in Union City, GA, online, people tend to believe the following myths concerning root canals and dental pain:

 Myth 1: Having a root canal is excruciating.

Root canals have a bad reputation for being extremely uncomfortable. However, the real reason for root canal treatment is pain relief. Root canals are necessary when a cavity has progressed to the pulp of the tooth, causing infection. This, rather than the procedure itself, is the source of the pain.

The affected tooth and its surrounding bone will be numbed, so you feel very little during the treatment. The procedure will save your tooth and alleviate the awful agony you have been feeling.

Myth 2: You need multiple visits to the dentist to finish a root canal.

A single or double session of root canal treatment may be possible. Several variables affect how many visits are needed for a root canal procedure:

• How bad the infection is.
• The troublesome nature of root canals.

After root canal therapy, the tooth needs to be restored so that it can function normally again. Appointments required to repair the tooth in its entirety are separate from the root canal procedure.

Myth 3: Root canal therapy is prohibitively expensive

Root canal treatment and a dental crown continue to be less expensive than tooth extraction and alternative tooth replacement methods like bridges and implants. Root canal procedures can be expensive depending on several factors, including the complexity of the tooth, whether it is the patient’s first root canal or retreatment, and if a regular dentist or a specialist performs them.

Myth 4: The positive effects of root canal treatment will not last.

The effects of a root canal treatment last for quite some time. They alleviate pain in the tooth and safeguard it for the long term. The final crown or restoration is the most important part of the process.

Myth 5: Having a tooth pulled is a viable option if you do not want a root canal.

Patients sometimes choose to have a tooth extracted rather than undergo the more involved and costly root canal operation. Unfortunately, the patient might not realize that losing a tooth would lead to the need for additional, expensive dental work down the road. Unlike a simple root canal, replacing a missing tooth after extraction requires additional visits to the dentist, more time spent there, and more money than doing nothing at all.

Moreover, root canal therapy helps keep more of the patient’s natural tooth structure intact. Even while dental prosthetics like crowns and bridges are sturdy and long-lasting, nothing can replace the strength and versatility of a full set of natural teeth.