Debunking Myths About Root Canals

A root canal is always among the most feared procedures. While it certainly isn’t the most pleasant, most fears come from the numerous myths and rumors, which simply aren’t true. I’ll try my best to separate fact from fiction and explain why in certain situations, a root canal can actually save your child’s tooth!

A root canal removes diseased pulp from your child’s tooth. The pulp is tissue that contains nerves and blood vessels that fill the tooth roots. If the tooth is damaged or infected as a result of cavities, an accident or injury, your child may need a root canal. During the procedure, the diseased pulp will be removed with cleaning fluids, the open canal will be disinfected and cleaned, dried, and filled with a filling. In the case of a baby tooth, usually only partial nerve treatment is needed without removing the entire pulp tissue, unlike adult root canals. Therefore, the procedure is less painful and quicker.

Myth 1: Baby teeth don’t need root canals

Baby teeth are going to come out anyway, so why not just pull the tooth, right? Wrong. While in some cases extraction of primary teeth is recommended, more often than not, saving a child’s decayed or damaged tooth rather than removing it prematurely is the best course of treatment. Early loss of primary teeth can cause abnormal eruption of permanent teeth, which may require costly orthodontic treatment down the road. Pulling a tooth, even a primary tooth, should always be the last resort.

Myth 2: Root canals are extremely painful

Fortunately, advances in dental technology and sedation have made the procedure more comfortable than ever. Most of my patients report that the discomfort is no worse than having a simple cavity filled. While some pain following the procedure is normal and should go away in a few hours, pain medication is available to help your child through that time.

Myth 3: Root canal therapy kills the tooth

That couldn’t be further from the truth. In most cases, a root canal will actually save an infected tooth by removing the diseased pulp, sealing the tooth, and covering it with a crown. Therefore, the original structure and function of the tooth are retained, and the tooth is saved from infection and extraction.

Myth 4: You don’t need a root canal if the tooth doesn’t hurt

That’s not always true. If there is no pain, this could be a sign of severe damage and potentially even death of the nerve. In most cases, your child will complain about pain in the tooth prior to the diagnosis. However, in some cases if you wait too long, the pain will subside, and you might think a tooth infection has healed itself. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen, and if left untreated, the bacterial infection can spread to your jaw, brain, and blood, which is quite dangerous.

Myth 5: A root canal is a short-term fix

Almost all root canals do their job the first time around. In fact, the lifetime success rate for a root canal is about 85%. A good dentist will make sure to remove all of the infected pulp from your tooth, thereby saving the tooth and preventing the spread of infection. Once the bacteria is gone, in most cases you have nothing to worry about.

A root canal is a safe and effective treatment to take away your child’s pain and save their tooth. If your child feels any pain, call my office right away so that the problem can be addressed before it gets worse. Call today to schedule your appointment: 718.998.2424. Our office is located at 2464 Coney Island Ave Brooklyn NY.