Help! I'm Anxious About My Root Canal

A survey of 18,000 people showed that over 60% of them suffer anxiety about dental visits. The most common fear is of pain associated with a trip to the dentist. In the era before modern anesthetic techniques, this may have been a legitimate concern, but dental care has been painless for generations, and contemporary dental practices go to great lengths to ease the worries their patients have. 

So, if you’re facing a root canal, you’re in good hands at Allure Dental Care of Maple Lawn. Our team makes the process simple and comfortable. No one wants to have a root canal, but when it’s necessary, it’s not the ordeal you may fear it will be. 

Why might you need a root canal? 

You likely know your teeth as ultra-hard eating machines, capable of biting and chewing a wide range of foods. Yet many don’t think about the soft, pulpy centers of their teeth, where nerves and blood vessels reside. This more delicate tissue can become inflamed or infected under certain circumstances. 

By the time you reach adulthood, your teeth can gather the nourishment they need to stay strong from the bone and gum tissue surrounding them. They can function without the compromised pulp. Since there’s no tooth-replacement system yet that equals or improves upon natural teeth, your root canal is a procedure that preserves a natural tooth, preventing gaps in your bite or the need for a tooth replacement system. 

The root canal procedure

 To save a tooth, it’s important first to assure that all affected pulp tissue is removed from space within the tooth where it typically resides, the root canal that gives the procedure its name. This involves creating an access hole through the tooth’s crown to remove soft tissue and thoroughly clean the inside. 

An inert rubber compound called gutta-percha fills the space inside the canal to lock out bacteria and chances for reinfection. Finally, the tooth is sealed with a filling. This might be a temporary filling since your tooth may need medication to ensure all signs of infection are gone. In that case, you’ll likely have an appointment a few days later to remove the temporary filling and replace it with its permanent successor. 

How much will it hurt? 

You may be surprised to find that there’s little to no pain from when a tooth becomes damaged until the time that a root canal is finished. If you have an infection or an abscess, these will likely be the most painful parts of the entire process. Your dental visit represents pain relief, not additional agony. 

Dental anesthetics mean that you’ll be numb and free from pain during the root canal itself. After the freezing wears off, you may feel some achiness, but this is well-controlled with over the counter pain medications. 

A root canal is no reason for worry. Contact Allure Dental Care of Maple Lawn at the first sign of trouble. Connect by phone or request an appointment online. Book your appointment today.