Root canals have a reputation problem. Misconceptions about root canal treatment and pain persist despite decades of advances in dental technology. The American Association of Endodontists wants you to have accurate information so you can make informed decisions about your dental care. When considering any medical procedure, gathering facts helps you understand all available options. Your dentist or endodontist can answer questions, and seeking a second opinion is always wise if concerns remain.
Let’s examine three common myths about root canal treatment and reveal the facts.
Myth 1: Root Canal Treatment Is Painful
Truth: Root canal treatment doesn’t cause pain, it relieves it.
The perception of root canals being painful began decades ago, but modern technologies and anesthetics have transformed the experience. Root canal treatment today is no more uncomfortable than having a filling placed. A recent survey showed that patients who have experienced root canal treatment are six times more likely to describe it as painless than patients who have not had the procedure.
Most patients visit their dentist or endodontist when experiencing a severe toothache. The toothache results from damaged tissue inside the tooth. Root canal treatment removes this damaged tissue, relieving the pain you feel. The procedure itself doesn’t create pain; it eliminates the source of your discomfort.
Myth 2: Root Canal Treatment Causes Illness
Truth: No valid scientific evidence links root canal-treated teeth to disease elsewhere in your body.
Patients searching online for root canal information may encounter sites claiming that teeth receiving endodontic treatment contribute to illness and disease throughout the body. This false claim is based on long-debunked, poorly designed research performed nearly a century ago by Dr. Weston A. Price, at a time before medicine understood the causes of many diseases.
In the 1920s, Dr. Price advocated tooth extraction over endodontic treatment. This resulted in a concerning era of tooth extraction both for treating systemic disease and as a prophylactic measure against future illness.
The facts tell a different story. A root canal is a safe and effective procedure. When a severe infection in your tooth requires endodontic treatment, that treatment eliminates bacteria from the infected root canal, prevents reinfection, and saves your natural tooth.
Bacteria are present in your mouth and teeth at all times, even in teeth that have never had a cavity or other trauma. The presence of bacteria doesn’t constitute infection and isn’t necessarily a threat to your health. Research shows that your healthy immune system takes care of bacteria within minutes.
Tooth extraction is actually a traumatic procedure known to cause a significantly higher incidence of bacteria entering the bloodstream. Endodontic treatment confined to the root canal system produces much less trauma and a much lower incidence and magnitude of bacteria entering your blood stream.
Dr. Price’s research techniques were criticized when published, and by the early 1930s, well-designed studies using modern research techniques discredited his findings. In 1951, the Journal of the American Dental Association took the extraordinary step of publishing a special edition reviewing the scientific literature and shifted the standard of practice back to endodontic treatment for teeth with non-vital pulp when the tooth could be saved. The JADA reviewed Dr. Price’s research techniques from the 1920s and noted they lacked many aspects of modern scientific research, including absence of proper control groups and induction of excessive doses of bacteria.
As recently as 2013, research published in JAMA Otolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery found that patients with multiple endodontic treatments had a 45 percent reduced risk of cancer.
Myth 3: Extraction Is a Good Alternative to Root Canal Treatment
Truth: Saving your natural teeth, when possible, is the best option.
Nothing can completely replace your natural tooth. An artificial tooth can sometimes cause you to avoid certain foods. Keeping your own teeth is important so you can continue to enjoy the wide variety of foods necessary to maintain proper nutrient balance in your diet. If your dentist recommends extraction, ask whether root canal treatment is an option.
Endodontic treatment, along with appropriate restoration, is a cost-effective way to treat teeth with damaged pulp and is usually less expensive than extraction and placement of a bridge or an implant.
Root canal treatment also has a very high success rate. Many root canal-treated teeth last a lifetime. Placement of a bridge or an implant requires significantly more time in treatment and may result in further procedures to adjacent teeth and supporting tissues.
Millions of healthy endodontically treated teeth serve patients all over the world, years and years after treatment. Those healthy teeth help patients chew efficiently, maintain the natural appearance of their smiles, and enhance their enjoyment of life. Through endodontic treatment, endodontists and dentists worldwide enable patients to keep their natural teeth for a lifetime.
Making Informed Decisions About Your Dental Health
Understanding the facts about root canal treatment helps you make confident decisions about your oral health. Modern root canal procedures are safe, effective, and designed to save your natural teeth. At Minot Dental Partners in Minot, ND, we provide accurate information about all treatment options so you can choose what’s best for your dental health. If you have concerns about a tooth or have been told you need a root canal, schedule a consultation to discuss your options and get answers to your questions.
