Heard that a root canal kills the tooth? 5 myths debunked by our Edinburgh Endodontist
When it comes to dental care, there are many myths which can put people off of the idea of having dental treatment.
Everything from believing braces will make you talk strangely to dentures always causing discomfort, it can be a bit of a maze navigating which bits of information are factual and which bits are nothing more than old wives’ tales.
Sadly, one of the most common and restorative of all dental procedures, endodontics, have been plagued by myths ever since they became commonplace in dental surgeries in the 1960s. And so, as restorative as these procedures are, many dental patients avoid them unnecessarily, potentially causing themselves secondary issues.
Our Edinburgh Endodontist knows first hand how beneficial having a root canal Edinburgh can be and so, our team is on a mission to bring the truth about this simple and remarkable procedure to dental patients across the UK. As you can tell from our name, it is our specialty and we can answer any questions that you or any other patient will have about the procedure.
But what are some of the more damaging myths that surround having a root canal Edinburgh? Read on to find out!
It removes the root
While we can see the misunderstanding, this is simply not true.
If we were to remove the root of your teeth during a root canal Edinburgh, then your tooth would fall out, making the entire procedure pointless. During the treatment, our team will drill down into the root of your tooth to access the infection site, but no, we do not remove the roots of your teeth!
The tooth will turn black afterwards
Again, this is another myth which is quite funny but is altogether false.
After you have had the procedure performed, your tooth will visually look no different. Our team will seal off the access hole with either a white filling or crown, securing the tooth and allowing it to blend in.
The procedure is painful
We can accept that yes, the procedure itself sounds uncomfortable.
However, before we begin, our team will ensure that your mouth is numbed and after the work is completed, you may be amazed at how much your dental discomfort has reduced. After all, endodontics is usually offered to those who have dental infections, so you will of course feel less pain once we have fitted the root canal.
The fitting will fail
Statistically, this procedure has a 96% plus success rate 10 years after it has been fitted. A well fitted endodontic filling can last the rest of your life with no issues or recurrent abscesses. So, no, the odds are on your side when it comes to this procedure being successful.
An extraction is better
In some cases, yes an extraction may be better, but as dentists, it is our job to restore any damaged tooth or teeth to the best of our ability.
We will always aim to at least try endodontics before extracting the tooth, to assess the suitability of retaining it.