If you are like most patients, the mere mention of a "root canal" makes you cringe. Some people will cringe even if they do not know what a root canal is or have never had one themselves and have only heard from others that it is a terrible thing. When you finally are faced with a root canal of your own, you will probably approach it with fear and trepidation. There are some ways you can think of this procedure in a positive light, and maybe they will even help you smile through it all too.
You Will Have Less Pain and No Infections
Right now, the damaged tooth that needs the root canal is probably killing you. It can hurt so badly that you do not even want to talk, let alone chew or eat. Before too long, that damaged tooth will have no living nerves or living tissue inside it, and the pain may subside. However, if you let your tooth get that far, then you are exposing it to bacteria that will cause nasty, pus-filled infections, which eventually leads to more pain, and more dental expenses than having the root canal performed now. By having the procedure now, you will only be in pain for a short time, but your tooth will live and survive, infection-free.
The Dentist Can Save Almost All of Your Natural Tooth
Unless there is advanced decay, your dentist will be able to save almost all of your natural tooth via the root canal. This is important for two reasons.
- Because then you will not need a bridge or an implant later on
- Because leaving the natural and repaired tooth in situ ensures better dental health for the teeth next to it
The natural tooth also looks better than a fake, although many porcelain fakes look as good as real teeth.
You Have a Medical Excuse for Leaving Work/School
Because a root canal is a major dental surgery, you will need several hours off for the procedure, and perhaps an extra day or two to recover. This is especially true if your dentist prescribes painkillers, since you cannot operate heavy machinery, drive or run equipment on these medications. Your dentist can print out a medical excuse notice and sign it so that you have something to give to your boss or human resources when you finally return to work. (For some people, this equals some much-needed "me" time, even if they are recovering from a dental procedure.)
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