Why Root Canals are Heroic, Not Horrific

Root canal therapy is the treatment of choice for patients who have a severely infected or decaying tooth. This involves situations in which the inner portion of the tooth has been damaged or compromised in some way. Unfortunately, the central tooth pulp is the area where the sensitive nerves reside. Therefore, patients can be in excruciating pain when an infection has penetrated this sensitive area of the tooth. To bring you out of pain and save your infected tooth, an endodontic procedure called a root canal is typically recommended.

If you associate root canals with pain or fear, you are not alone. However, you should know that the procedure itself is not painful or anything to be afraid of. In fact, modern root canal therapy involved advanced anesthetics and only one appointment, compared to the 2-3 visits required in the past. Most patients report that their root canal therapy was no more painful than getting a dental filling.

Root Canals Relieve Pain Not Induce Pain

During your root canal procedure, we will carefully remove the infected pulp of your tooth. We will sanitize the canal and inner tooth area and seal it off for future protection. In some cases, a custom crown may be needed to ensure the tooth regains optimal strength and integrity. Once the infected nerves are removed, pain relief should be immediate. If a root canal is neglected or put off, a tooth extraction may be required, which will eventually lead to the need for tooth replacement or a dental implant. This is a much more invasive and costly treatment compared to root canal therapy.

If you are experiencing pain from an infected tooth, don’t suffer any longer. Call Hollon Dental for painless root canal therapy today. We can bring you out of pain and save your natural smile!