If the thought of a root canal makes you feel uneasy, it’s time to consider all the benefits of root canal treatments. When a diseased tooth is causing severe pain, a root canal may be the best way to end that pain and restore health and comfort. A root canal is here to help you and restore your mouth to health!

If you are suffering from dental pain, please see an endodontist or dentist. Your best chance of successfully ending the pain is through early diagnosis and treatment. Dental issues usually get worse with time. Please keep in mind this article isn’t a substitute for dental care, but we hope it is a useful informational resource for you.

And if you’re told that you need a root canal, take heart! Today’s root canal isn’t your grandparents’ root canal. Many people find a root canal no more uncomfortable than a routine filling, thanks to modern dental technology, increased knowledge, and dental care advances. Of course, the treatment is far more advanced than a filling, since your mouth’s root canal system is very complex and minuscule. This is why it is best to see an endodontic specialist whenever possible.

An endodontist is a dentist who specializes in saving natural teeth through root canals and other endodontic treatments. In addition to completing dental school, an endodontist completes advanced residency training focused on endodontic care.

What is a Root Canal and Who Needs One

Before going into the details of the benefits of root canals, let’s review a few basic fundamentals about what happens during a root canal. Understanding the procedure can help you see the benefits.

A root canal aims to treat disease and infection within the pulp or soft core of a tooth. The pulp contains nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue, which can become infected due to deep decay, repeated dental procedures on the same tooth, or a crack or chip in the tooth.

When the pulp is damaged, it breaks down, and bacteria multiply within the pulp chamber. The bacteria and other decayed debris can cause an infection or abscessed tooth, leading to pain and swelling. If left untreated, this can lead to further dental issues, systemic health complications, and eventually loss of the tooth.

During a root canal procedure, your endodontist makes a small opening in the infected tooth and removes the inflamed or infected pulp. Next, the inner tooth is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. After that, it’s filled and then re-sealed.

After the procedure, the tooth continues to function like any other tooth. Best of all, the patient’s health is restored, and their discomfort is gone.

See an Endodontist for Your Best Chance of Root Canal Success

According to research by the American Association of Endodontists, the average general dentist performs two root canals weekly. By contrast, a typical endodontist performs 25 root canals weekly.

Since an endodontist performs over 12 times as many root canals as a general dentist, they gain more experience working with unique oral anatomy, unusual issues, and complications. They also can better justify the considerable expense of investing in the best equipment and tools to make the root canal experience more comfortable, more efficient, and more effective for you, the patient.

Now that you understand the benefits of seeking care from an endodontist, what about the benefits of having a root canal?

Some Key Benefits of a Root Canal Treatment

The biggest benefit of a root canal is that it saves your natural tooth. If your tooth is badly diseased to the point you need a root canal procedure, it is your best alternative to having the tooth pulled (also called an extraction). Your natural tooth has irreplaceable value since it fits well within your mouth. By keeping your natural tooth, you maintain your natural bite and the alignment of your other teeth, and it helps maintain your speech, airway, and digestion. While you can consider a bridge or implant after an extraction, on the other hand, nothing fits in your mouth as well as your natural tooth.

Another huge benefit is relief from pain. Diseased and infected teeth cause pain and discomfort when you bite down, enjoy an ice-cold beverage, or even when you try to sleep. Ending this pain and infection through a root canal procedure means you can enjoy eating, drinking, and sleeping again.

Root canals are highly successful and help restore wellness and oral health. Over 90% of patients who had a root canal experienced successful results, according to the Journal of Endodontics. While sometimes a root canal fails, more often than not, the procedure saves the natural tooth and resolves the pain and infection.

In summary, these are some of the many benefits of getting a root canal if you need one:

• It allows you to save your natural tooth. Otherwise, the disease will progress until you need to have the tooth pulled.
• Saving your natural tooth allows for normal and efficient chewing.
• It helps maintain your normal biting force and sensation.
• You keep the look and feel of your natural smile.
• It helps protect nearby teeth from excessive wear or strain by maintaining existing alignment.
• It ends the pain and discomfort of having an infected tooth.

If you feel nervous about getting a root canal, we urge you to consider the many benefits of successful treatment. While there are no absolute guarantees, one way to improve your likelihood of successful treatment is to seek care from an endodontist, who has the considerable experience and state-of-the-art technology to help make your root canal procedure a success.

Next Steps: Schedule a Consultation

If your dentist suggests that you need a root canal, consider asking for a referral to an experienced endodontist. Also, be aware you don’t necessarily need to have a referral from your general dentist to see the endodontist of your choice. You can be empowered to select your own healthcare provider.

Ballantyne Endodontics proudly saves natural teeth in and near the Charlotte, NC, community. If you live in the area, please contact us to schedule your appointment. We will aim to save your tooth whenever possible and to end the pain.

Our team knows the transformative power of endodontic care. Not only have we seen the difference it makes for many of our patients, but our founder, Dr. Sonia Chopra, knows firsthand the difference successful endodontic care can make, as a dental patient, herself. These experiences led her to become an endodontist who listens closely to her patients and provides top-of-the-line care. Our entire team blends clinical excellence with compassion.

Contact us today to schedule your appointment or to learn more about requesting a referral.