Myths About Root Canals
Is the Root Canal Procedure Painful?
Root canal treatment doesn't cause pain, it relieves it.
Many endodontic procedures are performed to relieve the pain of toothaches caused by pulp inflammation or infection. With modern techniques and anesthetics, most patients report that they are comfortable during the procedure.
You might be surprised to learn that it is possible that even without anesthetic many teeth needing root canal treatment could be drilled on and you would feel no pain what so ever. In fact, it is conceivable that in some isolated cases (those where active infection and inflammation are not complicating factors) the entire root canal treatment process could be completed without any anesthetic or pain. Why? Simply because in these cases the nerve tissue in the tooth has died, and dead nerve tissue cannot transmit pain sensations.
Should you expect that your root canal therapy can be performed without the use of an anesthetic? No, that's not realistic. But if you are unequivocally anticipating that all root canal treatment results in an excruciatingly painful experience then someone has led you astray.
For the first few days after treatment, your tooth may feel sensitive, especially if there was pain or infection before the procedure. This discomfort can be relieved with over-the-counter or prescription medications. Follow your endodontist's instructions carefully.
Your tooth may continue to feel slightly different from your other teeth for some time after your endodontic treatment is completed. However, if you have severe pain or pressure or pain that lasts more than a few days, call your endodontist.
Will the Root Canal Procedure Make Me More Susceptible to Illness?
Root canal treatment is a safe and effective procedure.
Research studies performed in the 1930s and 1940s and those conducted in later years showed no relationship between the presence of endodontically treated teeth and the presence of illness. Instead, researchers found that people with root canal fillings were no more likely to be ill than people without them.
Over the past several years, however, a very small number of dentists and physicians have been claiming that teeth that have received root canal (endodontic) treatment contribute to the occurrence of illness and disease in the body. This claim is based on the outdated research performed by Dr. Weston Price from 1910-1930. His research stated that bacteria trapped in the teeth during root canal treatment can cause almost any type of disease, including arthritis, heart disease, kidney disease, and others.
The presence of bacteria in teeth and mouth has been an accepted fact for many years. But presence of bacteria does not constitute "infection" and is not necessarily a threat to a person's health. Bacteria are present in the mouth and teeth at all times, even in teeth that have never had a cavity or other trauma.
More recent attempts to copy the research of Dr. Price (and to check its accuracy) have been unsuccessful. Researchers now believe that the earlier findings may have been caused by poor sanitation and imprecise research techniques that were common in the early 1900s.
These more recent studies support the truth we report today—that teeth that receive proper endodontic treatment do not cause illness.
Brian P Trava DMD, SuJean Oh DDS and Alison Petix DMD: Endodontists - Providing services in endodontics and root canal dentistry to the areas of North Jersey (NJ).
Hawthorne Dentist
290 LaFayette Avenue Hawthorne, NJ 07506 | Ph. 973-423-0789
© copyright 2005 - 2008, Brian P Trava, DMD, all rights reserved
