Are root canals as bad as their reputation?

You've been in to see your dentist and she tells you that you need a root canal . . . Don't panic. There are a few different scenarios that can happen with this. Sometimes patients are in pain when they hear this news and sometimes it is something we discovered through x-rays or tests of a tooth. When you are not in pain, I tell the patient that root canals get a bad reputation because of the discomfort that causes you to need a root canal and not the procedure itself. When patients are in pain and need a root canal, the root canal alleviates the pain and the procedure itself again is not painful because we numb the tooth before we do anything. There is often some discomfort following a root canal but much better than the discomfort you are in that necessitated the root canal. In certain situations, you can having swelling and discomfort following a root canal, if this happens usually your dentist will inform you ahead of time and if anything happens that they did not prepare you for, contact your dentist to follow up. As a general dentist, I do not do many root canals. We have several wonderful endodontists in town that I refer to. Endodontists are specialists that do only root canals. Therefore, they have specialized equipment and specialized training to make your root canal successful and painless. If you have any questions about your teeth or are looking for a dentist, please reach out to us at our office at Stauffer Family Dental in Westerville, OH. Our phone number is 614-882-2249. We are accepting new patients. We accept most insurances and are preferred providers for most Delta, Cigna and Aetna plans.