It is without a doubt one of the most feared and misunderstood of all dental treatments available – the root canal.
While many people dread needing to have a root canal performed, it is actually a very straightforward procedure, which offers both restorative and cosmetic benefits to you as the patient. Historically, the alternative to root canal therapy was a full extraction, which would have had an obvious downside to the aesthetics of your smile.
Today, root canal therapy is a straightforward and painless way to restore a previously infected tooth. Our dentists can offer you endodontics in Harley Street of the highest standard, to help you maintain the functionality of all of your teeth and keep your smile in one piece!
But what are some of the more common myths surrounding endodontics in Harley Street that make root canals such a feared procedure?
Root canals are painful
False.
It is easy to understand where this myth originated from but it is false!
While there will usually be some discomfort when you visit our team for endodontics in Harley Street, this will typically be caused by the infected pulp in your tooth.
Before we perform any kind of treatment to relieve an infection, our dentists will ensure that your mouth is sufficiently numbed and will recommend pain relief for you to take at home post-treatment. A root canal is no more painful than a filling and actually resolves discomfort in much the same way, the relief after treatment will bear this out.
Root canals don’t work!
False.
In relation to restoring and preserving a once infected teeth, root canals have an extremely high success rate – well over 95%, 10 years after treatment has been completed.
If the tooth becomes infected again, you may need to have another root canal performed, but as most teeth are topped with a crown to preserve the treatment, chances of reinfection are low.
A root canal will kill the tooth
False.
While it may seem that having your tooth pulp cleaned would kill your tooth, this is not true.
A root canal offers our dentists the chance to clean and disinfect the inside of your tooth, removing the infection and restoring any damaged bone. All nerves and blood vessels in and surrounding the tooth will remain intact.
Having a root canal takes multiple appointments
False.
Undergoing root canal therapy typically takes 2 appointments; one to diagnose the issue with the tooth and the other to complete the therapy.
While this appointment will be longer than a standard 10 minute check-up, most root canals take on average between 45 minutes to 1 hour to complete, so the procedure time is not excessive.
There is a lot of after pain associated with a root canal
False.
Once the treatment is completed and the numbing agents have worn off, you may feel a sensation similar to a bruise on your jaw and around the treated tooth.
This is completely normal and should be manageable with over-the-counter painkillers. If you are in excessive discomfort, contact our team immediately for a same-day emergency appointment.