| Root canal is usually painful.
"When people are told that they will require a root canal treatment, they usually associate the treatment with pain," says Gunnar Hasselgren, D.D.S., Ph.D., professor of endodontics and director of endodontics at Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery. "However, the pain they feel is caused by the infection in the tooth, not the root canal treatment. A root canal is done to eliminate that pain, and it is rather seldom that the procedure itself creates any symptoms. "A local anesthetic, provided before beginning treatment, numbs the tooth and the surrounding area and ensures that the root canal procedure itself is painless," Hasselgren says. The tooth's nerves are removed, so I won't feel any pain.
"Many people believe that once they have had root canal treatment that they will no longer feel pain in the treated tooth. This, however, is incorrect," Dr. Hasselgren says. "While a person who has had a root canal procedure will no longer be sensitive to hot or cold food or beverages, he or she may still experience some discomfort for a few days after receiving root canal treatment. The pain may be caused by inflammation of the tissues that surround the treated tooth. If this happens, your dentist may prescribe an anti-inflammatory medication which will help to alleviate the pain." Why bother getting a root canal done when I'm just going to need the tooth taken out eventually?
"It is not correct to assume that after receiving root canal therapy that the treated tooth will eventually need to be extracted," Dr. Hasselgren says. "In fact, most root canal treatments are successful and result in the tooth being saved." I'm not feeling any pain, so I don't really need a root canal.
"Most teeth that need root canal therapy will have no pain. However, not having symptoms does not mean that the tooth is OK," Dr. Hasselgren says. "Your dentist or endodontist has techniques to evaluate and assess if the tooth's pulp is damaged or infected. If this is the case, then root canal therapy will be necessary. "Sometimes you will not know that you have an infection because you are not experiencing pain, but if you see something near the damaged tooth that looks like a pimple that comes and goes, you should see your dentist," Dr. Hasselgren says. "The 'pimple,' called a sinus tract, is caused by pus from an infection draining through a tunnel of tissue to an opening on the surface. It is important to have the infection treated and to receive root canal therapy. If you don't, nearby tissues may be damaged." A root canal means I'm having the roots of my tooth, or my whole tooth, removed.
"During root canal treatment, it is the inside of your tooth and not the outside of your tooth that is treated," Dr. Hasselgren says. "During root canal therapy, the endodontist removes the tooth's pulp, located in the center of the tooth, and does not remove the roots of the tooth or the actual tooth. The whole point of receiving root canal therapy is to try to save a tooth, not to remove it." After I get the root canal, I won't have to go back to the dentist for a while.
"Once you have received root canal therapy, you might be tempted not to return to the dentist for a while, but it is important that you make follow-up appointments to have a permanent retoration placed," Dr. Hasselgren says. "The root filling that is placed after the pulp has been removed seal the root from infection, but the crown of the tooth must be restored. "If you do not have a crown made on the back teeth, you are at greater risk of fracturing the tooth when you bite down or chew," Dr. Hasselgren says. "So you should make an appointment with your dentist when the root canal treatment is finished to have the permanent restoration placed." ©2002-2005 Aetna, Inc. All rights reserved. Reviewed by the faculty of Columbia University College of Dental Medicine |
