The term “root canal” strikes fear in the hearts of even the bravest patients, but there is no longer a reason to fear this procedure. The old way of performing root canals has fallen by the wayside, and new treatments are virtually pain-free, leaving patients feeling better, without having to spend days recovering. Instead of putting off your root canal, take a moment to understand what you can expect from your Irvine dentist when you undergo this procedure.
What Is a Root Canal?
A root canal is the procedure that removes the infected or decayed pulp from a tooth. This allows the tooth to be saved so you don’t have to get it extracted. The pulp needs to be removed, because, if left untreated, it can cause the tooth to become abscessed, which is a far more painful condition. The bacteria can also cause infections.
How Much Will It Hurt?
Many people are concerned about the potential pain of the procedure, but the pain that the infected pulp causes before the root canal is far more intense than the root canal procedure. Advances in local anesthetics now allow dentists to perform root canals while patients feel little to no pain at all. Remember, leaving the tooth untreated will cause you more pain down the road, so be sure to schedule your root canal before the situation requires more invasive treatments.
Your Irvine dentist knows all the latest techniques to perform your root canal quickly and with as little pain as possible. The term “root canal” is no longer one of which to be fearful, and having this procedure can help save your teeth.