Root canals are a very misunderstood procedure. When patients are referred for this procedure, they often have no idea what the procedure entails. Let’s go through a few common misconceptions that many patients have about root canals.
Myth One: Extraction is better than getting a root canal.
False! Preserving your natural teeth whenever possible is always the best choice. An implant is a prosthesis to replace a missing tooth, it is not your natural tooth. There are some cases where extraction may be a better option, but you should talk to your Endodontist in order to get a full understanding of treatment options that best suits your situation.
Myth Two: Root canals make you sick.
False! Root canals do not make you sick, in fact, they get you and your tooth back to health. Saliva in the mouth is full of bacteria. When a tooth is infected the bacterial count in a small area is drastically increased. When you undergo a root canal treatment it reduces the number of bacteria inthe infected tooth. Some studies have shown that the bacteria involved in root canal infections are also involved in heart disease or arthritis, but NO study till date has shown that the same bacteria in your root canal space will cause disesase in some other part of your body.
Myth Three: Root canals are extremely time consuming.
False! Root Canals can be done in one to two visits depending on the complexity of the case in each patient. Those visits can vary from 20 to 30 minutes on most uncomplicated cases. After your root canal appointment, you should be able to carry on with your regular day activities as usual with little to no pain and discomfort. Just be sure to stay away from hard, sticky foods!
Myth Four: Root canals are extremely painful.
False! The modern technological improvements we have made through the years have made root canals quite painless. The feeling can be comparable with the filling of a cavity. The worst pain a patient experience is normally prior to treatment when they are dealing with an untreated inflamed or infected tooth.
We at Specialist Care Endodontics are proving these misconceptions wrong one patient at a time. Dr. Misra – Sauparn is an endodontic specialist and her patients leave pain-free with a smile on their face. There is no reason to have negative misconceptions about root canals when expecting to get an endodontic treatment.
If you have any additional questions or concerns and to book an appointment contact the office of Dr. Misra – Sauparn at Specialist Care Endodontics (703) 650-9990.
About us: Specialist Care Endodontics is an endodontic practice that is a top pick for general dentists to refer patients in need of root canals and apicoectomies. We are an endodontic specialist serving the northern Virginia area in Woodbridge and Vienna (Close to Tysons Corner). We accept most insurances and do a verification of your benefits before your appointment. We are open Monday – Friday from 8am to 6pm and have Saturday appointments available by request, booking is available online and over the phone. We look forward to hearing from you!