Let’s get straight to the point, we’ve all heard the horror stories of a dreaded root canal… but are they really that scary?
The answer is a big NO!!
I’ll start by telling you why you may need root canal therapy to restore your tooth. A root canal is needed when a tooth becomes badly decayed and that decay reaches the nerve inside the tooth or from advanced periodontal disease. These things can cause the tooth to get infected causing an abscess to form. A tooth may also get damaged by trauma or a crack that would also cause the need for root canal therapy.
The root canal therapy procedure consists of Dr. Roberts going inside the tooth with special instruments and removing the nerve, the decay, and the infection all the while you are numb and not feeling a thing. Many people fear that this procedure may hurt, ROOT CANALS DO NOT HURT! They actually relieve the severe pain that usually accompanies an abscessed tooth.
Will you miss the nerve that has been removed from the tooth? The answer to this is also no. When our adult teeth are fully matured the nerve is essentially only used for sensory reasons to detect hot and cold and is not used for functioning of the tooth.
Root Canal Therapy is a great alternative for a tooth that may otherwise have to be extracted, and replaced later. A root canal is almost always finished with a build-up and crown to protect the tooth from any further damage.
The main point is that root canals are not a scary procedure, but a procedure that can save your teeth ensuring that you can eat as good as ever!