Depending on the type and severity of the damage that has occurred to your tooth, you may have little option other than to undergo a root canal procedure. While this is an important procedure, it is a procedure that many patients will have a misunderstanding about.

A Root Canal Procedure Can Be Essential For Saving Your Tooth

There is an assumption among some patients that a root canal procedure will result in their tooth being extracted. In reality, this is a procedure that is intended to save a tooth that has suffered serious complications that would otherwise force it to be replaced. A root canal procedure is especially useful for patients that have suffered a severe infection in their tooth. Without a root canal treatment, the infection will eventually kill the tooth and may even spread to the neighboring teeth.

Individuals Often Overestimate The Discomfort A Root Canal Will Cause

A common assumption among dental patients is that undergoing a root canal procedure will be an extremely painful procedure. In the past, this was a fairly painful procedure for a person to undergo, but advances in equipment and treatment strategies have significantly lowered the amount of discomfort that patients experience. With these advances, patients will often find that receiving a root canal will cause comparable discomfort to a more traditional filling. During the days after this procedure, a patient may experience slight tenderness, and they may need to adapt to the sensation of having a crown on their tooth.

A Tooth Should Only Need To Undergo A Root Canal Once

Some patients may assume that a root canal is a procedure that they will have to undergo multiple times to save their tooth. In reality, this process will involve thoroughly cleaning and removing the infected tissue from inside the tooth. As long as this procedure is correctly completed, it will be a procedure that a patient will only need to undergo once to enjoy a lifetime of relief. In some rare instances, it may be possible for a patient to need to undergo a second root canal, and this will often be the result of some of the infections being missed during the original procedure. If you continue to notice soreness in the tooth several weeks after this procedure or the soreness returns in the months after undergoing the root canal, this could be a sign that you may need to schedule an appointment to assess whether a second root canal is needed for your tooth.

For more information about root canal procedures, contact a dentist.

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