For many people, the words “root canal” are synonymous with pain, even when they’re not sure why. Estimates suggest that about one-quarter of all people have anxiety or even phobia about dental visits. Those nervous about facing root canal therapy are likely more common.
It’s okay to feel nervous about root canals and dental work in general as long as it doesn’t keep you from regular dental care. Skipping the dentist over the worry of dental pain usually ensures you’re going to suffer even more down the road.
At Silver Lake Dentistry in Raymore, Missouri, Dr. Joshua Whitford and Dr. Jessica Whitford approach all oral care services in an open and relaxed way to create an environment that helps to banish nerves. They encourage your involvement in dental care, making sure you understand the work you need. Knowing more about your treatment makes it easier to relax.
Here are some reasons why there’s nothing to worry about if you require root canal therapy.
A root canal procedure is endodontic, literally, “inside the tooth.” It’s necessary when the soft dental pulp tissue in the hollow center of a tooth’s root -- the root canal -- becomes compromised or infected.
As your teeth develop, the pulp is essential for providing nourishment and support necessary for growth. Once a tooth is mature, though, it can survive with the tissues that surround it, and the pulp can be sacrificed to ensure the future health of the tooth. That’s where root canal therapy comes in.
If you can handle having a cavity filled but you’re nervous about a root canal, there’s good news. The procedures have much in common, including anesthetics that prevent any procedural pain. An access hole is made, similar to the way a decaying section of a tooth is prepared for filling.
The compromised pulp is removed through this hole and the root canal is cleaned and prepared to receive a filling made from a rubbery substance before the access hole is sealed. Since there are extra steps, a root canal usually takes longer than a filling, but there’s otherwise not much difference from your perspective. You may have more pain from the tooth injury itself. The root canal relieves that, rather than adding to it.
Your dentist will use a needle to numb the region and make sure you don't feel anything during the procedure. Every now and then, they put a small layer of rubber, or dental dam, around the tooth to safeguard it and keep it sanitary throughout the process. After anesthesia is applied, the dentist makes a small incision in your tooth to find and treat the area of infection in the root.
Contact Silver Lake Dentistry by phone or online to schedule a consultation ahead of your root canal. You deserve top-line support and oral care that meets your needs. Book your appointment online.
