Many of us hear the words “root canal” and cringe. Anxiety about having this common dental procedure done leaves some of wondering if it’s worth it just to save a damaged tooth. 

Here at Stonegate Dental we believe it’s always better to save a tooth than extract it if possible.

A root canal relieves pain and saves your tooth by removing nerve and inflamed tissue and filling the tooth with a special compound.

In the long run, it can be much more painful and costly to deal with missing teeth than to repair and protect teeth that have become inflamed or infected. Here are 4 fast facts about root canals that may have you actually looking forward to your appointment!

1 - Not As Painful As You’re Expecting

The truth is, modern dentistry has made root canal therapy nearly painless. Stonegate Dental makes your comfort a priority, and we can work with you to find the right techniques for anaesthetic and pain relief. Keep in mind that the very purpose of a root canal is to stop or prevent pain from inflamed and infected teeth, and the procedure is much less painful and invasive than an extraction!

2 - Can Be Done In One Visit

Some patients sink at the news they require root canal therapy, assuming this will be a time-consuming ordeal requiring many appointments and recovery time. This isn’t the case, many basic root canals can be performed in a single visit, and permanent crowns put in place as well to protect the tooth from further damage. 

3 - Can Be Retreated

You may have heard that root canals are not often a permanent solution, and wonder if it’s worthwhile if you’ll eventually face extraction anyway. While it’s true that root canals sometimes wear out, this doesn’t mean an extraction is necessary - the root canal can be removed, cleaned, and refilled. Root canal re treatment is usually successful and is just as simple as the initial root canal to perform.  

4 - Results Look Great

Your team at Stonegate Dental will help you to choose a crown option to cover and protect your tooth after your root canal, which can be made from a variety of materials depending on your needs. This restores the appearance of the tooth, and in most cases looks better than the damaged tooth has looked in quite a while!