Hello, I'm Dr. Marks with Smiles of Mathews and the Smile Group. I wanted to talk to you today about root canals.
What is a root canal?
The dreaded root canal word that so many people fear, which is totally legitimate. Fear is a real thing that we need to address, and I don't want it to be something that causes you to not get the treatment you need. What a root canal does is get rid of all the bacteria and the dead stuff and bad stuff that's inside your tooth.
Why would you need a root canal?
Well, there are a couple of reasons. One, there's a big cavity that has entered into the center of the tooth where the nerve is, which is why there's pain.
The other reason you would need a root canal is if the tooth died. There are a couple of reasons why a tooth might die. Mostly, it's trauma where they get hit a while ago and then over time, they just die, and then you need a root canal. So those are the two basic reasons why root canals are needed.
Are root canals painful?
Root canals themselves don't have to be scary. The technology has come a long way since all those horror stories from the 60s, 70s, and even 80s. They shouldn't hurt for one. If you've had a root canal that hurt, I'm not sure why, but I've never had anybody experience pain while I do a root canal. Afterwards, there can be some discomfort, but very rarely. Some post-operative discomfort that Advil and Tylenol can easily address, but most of the time there's not much issue.
Why are root canals beneficial?
Root canals are an awesome way to take care of and keep your teeth. After a root canal, you almost always have to put a crown on top, which acts like a helmet after a root canal because a root canal can make the tooth more brittle over time. The crown acts as the part of the tooth that you'll chew with and eat with, keeping the remaining part of the tooth from cracking and breaking, and ultimately losing it and then needing an implant. Our hope is to keep your natural teeth as long as possible, and that's one way a root canal can help.