Common myths about root canal
The root canal is a space within the root of a tooth which is filled with nerves, soft tissues and blood vessels. This is called the pulp. An injury or infection to the pulp cavity can cause a lot of pain and discomfort. A Dearborn root canal dentist procedure involves removing the infected tissues by burrowing a hole through the tooth and extracting it from the pulp cavity. A filling is then put in the tooth to prevent further infection. There is a lot of controversy concerning root canal procedure; here are some of the common myths;
- Root canal treatment is very painful
Most people shudder when they hear the words “root canal treatment”. This is because they associate the procedure with immense pain. However, the pain that a patient feels is not a product of the treatment but is caused by the already existing infection. The procedure itself is technically painless because a local anesthetic is applied to numb the area surrounding the tooth hence alleviating pain. A root canal procedure is done to eliminate the pain caused by infection.
- I’ll need to remove the whole tooth afterwards
Some people will avoid the root canal procedure due to the belief that they will need to take out the whole tooth after the procedure. This is not accurate. Most root canal treatments are successful and the tooth is saved from extraction. Therefore, the treated tooth need not be removed after the root canal procedure is done.
- The dentist will remove the roots of my tooth
This is a common myth that needs to be set straight, your roots or even the whole tooth will not be removed during the root canal procedure. The purpose of this dental procedure is to save the tooth and removing its roots will be countering these efforts. Only the pulp and nerves which have been infected are removed and the canals are shaped on the inside. No root is removed.
- If I don’t feel pain, I don’t require a root canal done
Contrary to popular belief, pain is not a symptom for root canal treatment. There are many situations where the tooth which requires tooth canal causes no pain at all. The dentist has a way to distinguish between a damaged or infected tooth and one which has a healthy pulp. If the pulp and nerve tissue is damaged, a root canal will be required even when there is no pain at all. The best way to know if you require a root canal is to check the area around the tooth. If there is a pimple on the gum, it is most probably a sign of infected root canal. The pimple is called a fistula and is a tunnel formed within the tissues which drains pus from the infected root. A root canal procedure is required in this case to prevent near tissues from getting infected.
