Just the mention of the words root canal can bring fear to peoples’ faces. Truthfully, root canals are really misunderstood. Let’s look at the truth about root canals.

Root Canal truths:

• They don’t hurt. You are numb during the procedure.
• They relieve pain. Teeth that need root canals are painful. When the patient arrives they are often in pain. The root canal treatment relieves this pain and sensitivity.
• Root canals have approximately a 90% success rate.
• The roots of the teeth are not being removed. The canals, inside the root, are cleaned, shaped, sterilized and sealed. When a root canal is completed, the roots are still there, it is the contents of the root that has been removed.
• Root canals save teeth that would have otherwise have been removed

When do you need a root canal?

• There is an abscess (infection) at the end of the root
• Decay has reached the nerve (pulp) of the tooth
• The nerve is irritated beyond its ability to heal. Symptoms include lingering hot or cold sensitivity and spontaneous pain.
• The pulp of the tooth has died and caused inflammation or swelling.
• If you have any of these symptoms, please call us immediately. It will not get better on its own and usually will hurt at the worst time (like when you are leaving town or on a weekend).