The dentists of Bloom Dental of Arlington understand the panic a patient feels when the words root canal are brought up. At Bloom Dental of Arlington, there’s no need to get nervous! Dr. Ashkan Yousefi and Dr. Hedieh Kousedghi are highly trained and dedicated to making clients feel comfortable and at home.
Root canals are for the sake of preserving a patient’s tooth and stopping infection. The longer you put off treating your tooth, the more you risk the chance of being unable to save it. Dr. Yousefi and Dr. Kousedghi want you to feel confident going into root canal therapy, so let’s take a look at the common misconceptions and myths about root canals.
Myth #1. Root canals are painful.
The largest misconception about root canals is that they are painful. Due to the advancement of technology, patients do not typically experience any pain during root canal therapy. Dr. Yousefi and Dr. Kousedghi are professional endodontists with experience in pain management for their clients. During the treatment, a local anesthetic numbs the area around the infected tooth, which means patients cannot feel anything, so there’s hardly any discomfort at all!
Myth #2. A tooth must hurt to require root canal therapy.
A tooth that requires root canal therapy does not have to be painful. The infection of a tooth can exist inside or outside, so discomfort may not be evident or readily apparent. Regular trips to the dentist can assure you that your teeth are in healthy condition. Dentists can also test to see if a tooth has died, so an appointment with the dentist is the best indicator as to whether you need root canal therapy.
Myth #3. The process of root canal therapy is long.
The duration of root canal therapy is on a case by case basis. Root canal therapy is necessary when the pulp of a tooth is infected, inflamed, or dead. The pulp chamber connects to the canals and roots, which go into the surrounding bone. The process of root canal therapy requires removing the dental pulp within the tooth and sealing the pulp chamber and canals. Filling these prevents bacteria from entering and prevents infections.
Some roots have more than one root canal, and an endodontist will not know this information until the actual root canal therapy. If there is more sealing that is required, the procedure will take longer. Root canal therapy generally ranges from 45 to 90 minutes.
Myth #4. It is better to entirely remove a tooth that is infected rather than undergo root canal therapy.
You should keep your natural teeth for as long as you can. Completely removing a tooth can lead to other problems such as jaw pain, biting issues, and tooth drifting. Dr. Yousefi and Dr. Kousedghi encourage you to move forward with root canal therapy, since pulling an infected tooth is not in your best interest.
Myth #5. The benefits of root canal therapy do not last long.
After the initial procedure of root canal therapy, a crown is placed on the tooth. Root canal therapy limits the blood supply to the inside of a tooth, which can cause a tooth to break. Crowns are placed on teeth to prevent breakage from occurring. As long as a crown is put on your tooth, it can endure everyday use like eating, talking, and other normal functions.
Bloom Dental of Arlington is the premier provider of dentistry in the Arlington and D.C. Metro Area. Along with root canal therapy, we offer various services relative to the Arlington area, including sleep apnea treatment for those in Alexandria and teeth bleaching services to patients of Fairfax. Dr. Yousefi and Dr. Kousedghi encourage you to contact Bloom Dental of Arlington to learn more information or schedule an appointment today.