Dentists are well aware that oral healthcare can make patients nervous, and perhaps on treatment more so than root canals. For some reason, this procedure in particular has a reputation for being incredibly invasive, long, and more than anything, uncomfortable.
However, the fact is that root canals’ reputation doesn’t match the reality of the treatment. Here’s what you should know about the prospect of discomfort when it comes to root canals.
Do Root Canals Really Hurt?
A lot of the time, the news that you need a root canal is met with a fair amount of fear. But it shouldn’t be! The truth is that the procedure doesn’t hurt at all.
Modern dental anesthetics are incredibly powerful and will be applied to your teeth before you receive any kind of dental care. That being the case, you don’t have to worry at all about pain when it comes to your root canal—in fact, you won’t feel the procedure at all.
What Does a Root Canal Entail?
If you’re still nervous about the treatment, it may be useful to learn more about what a root canal actually entails. The procedure takes place in several steps:
- Diagnosis and Preparation: The dentist takes X-rays to determine the extent of the infection and administers local anesthesia to numb the area.
- Access Opening: The dentist creates an opening in the crown of the tooth to access the pulp chamber and root canals.
- Cleaning and Shaping: Using small files, the dentist removes the infected or dead pulp tissue from within the tooth. The canals are cleaned, shaped, and disinfected to eliminate bacteria and debris.
- Filling the Canals: The cleaned canals are filled with a biocompatible material called gutta-percha, which is inserted with an adhesive cement to ensure complete sealing of the root canals.
- Sealing the Tooth: The access opening is temporarily filled with a dental filling. In a subsequent visit, the temporary filling is replaced with a permanent filling or crown to restore the tooth’s function and appearance.
- Restoration: If needed, a crown is placed over the tooth to protect it from fracture and reinfection. This final restoration helps the tooth regain its strength and function.
As you can see, this procedure is nothing to be scared of. In fact, it may be just what you need to feel back to normal!
About Our Practice
At Esplanade Dental Care, we work hard to ensure that our care is not only efficient, but also completely comfortable. When you visit our office, you’ll find that we’ve really made time for you, and that we’re doing everything that we can to make sure that you’re at east for the duration of your stay with us. You should also know that our services will be customized to perfectly suit you, meaning that even something like a root canal is easy!
If you have any questions about root canals, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (630) 493-0914.