Do your knees quake at the thought of a root canal? You are not alone. Root canal undoubtedly has a bad rap due to the widespread information that continues to haunt this dental procedure. As such, many people would rather endure the pain and agony of a toothache than book an appointment for a root canal El Paso procedure. However, a root canal is one of the easiest dental procedures to undergo in modern dentistry. Here are the top reasons you may fear root canals and why you should not.
Fear of the unknown
You are most likely to assume that a root canal is an awful procedure if you have little to no knowledge of what the treatment entails. Unfortunately, explaining a root canal procedure does not make it sound any better. For instance, the procedure involves drilling access holes on the surface of your tooth and using tiny files to remove diseased and dead pulp tissue. That might not make you calm and embrace the procedure. But as bad as it may sound, having a root canal is pain-free, thanks to the local anesthesia that your dentist uses.
Root canal treatment is painful
Many people consider a root canal treatment so torturous, hence the extreme fear. However, the truth is that this endodontic procedure should not hurt, certainly not more than other dental procedures. The misconception that root canals are painful stems from two facts. First, the dental problem that necessitates a root canal (infected or abscessed tooth) is very painful. Although an abscessed tooth is one of the most painful things one can experience, the procedure to fix it is not equally bad.
The second reason is, from a clinical standpoint, that teeth infected by bacteria are often difficult to numb. As such, a patient may experience temporary sensitivity or pain during a root canal procedure. This might have been the case in the olden days, but it is a rare issue in modern dentistry. Thanks to advancements in dentistry, many people fall asleep during the procedure and have little to no recollection of what happened.
Root canal treatment is not painful; the pain associated with this treatment comes from the infected tooth rather than the actual procedure.
Fear of the expense
Dental procedures are known for being costly, a major barrier that hinders many people from accessing the dental care they need. However, cost alone should not cause you to lose your healthy smile due to infections and tooth decay. When faced with the option of tooth extraction versus the cost implication of a root canal, the latter beats the former. You might need to pay more to replace the missing tooth with a dental implant. Most dental insurance plans cover root canal procedures, meaning you will have little out-of-pocket cost afterward.
With the above information, it is clear that the awful reputation of root canals is undeserved. Most root canal procedures are relatively quick and painless, so there is nothing to fear.
If you have concerns about a root canal procedure, consult your dentist at Dr. Darj Dental.
