Need to have a root canal performed and have concerns?

When you come to Dublin 18 Dental Rooms for endodontics, our dentist Dublin will ensure that all of the questions you have are answered, in jargon-free language. That way, you can make the best choice about your dental care for optimal results.

Here, our dentist Dublin explores the top 5 facts you may not know about root canals.

They prevent extraction

As our dentist Dublin will tell you when you have had a dental abscess or have suffered damage to your tooth or teeth, there are typically only 2 options to restore the damage. The first is a root canal, which is preferred (especially if the tooth is largely intact) and the second is an extraction.

As you may have guessed, having a root canal prevents an extraction that can encompass a myriad of health issues including excessive plaque and even orthodontic issues.

They have aesthetic advantages

Many people have concerns that when they have a root canal performed, the tooth that is treated will die. And as you may know, a dead tooth is black or grey and doesn’t leave an aesthetically pleasing finish!

Luckily, root canals do not have this effect and, if used on one of the front teeth, will actually leave you with an impressively finished tooth that looks no different from the ones around it.

And while you may not like the idea of a root canal, you have to admit that having a gap in your smile will likely have a bigger impact on your confidence.

They are over 200 years old

You may be surprised to learn that, although they seem to be a rather modern procedure, the first root canal was performed in 1766.

While not as comfortable as the options available today, the underlying principle was the same; to treat a diseased tooth by removing the pulp. Today, however, we use more sophisticated techniques and will usually achieve better results than they did in 1766!

They don’t hurt!

Many dental patients worry that root canals are painful.

This is a common idea, which may have become so because when you attend a dental surgery to have a root canal fitted you will probably be in quite a bit of discomfort, especially if you have an abscess.

But our team will aim to reduce any discomfort you have when you attend our practice by applying a numbing agent to your mouth before we begin the root canal. So, you won’t feel a thing!

They can be lifelong!

You may have heard that root canals have a short lifespan and that they are only a stop-gap until the infected tooth is extracted.

However, if you have good aftercare, maintain good oral hygiene and see our team every 6 months, then your newly fitted root canal can easily last the rest of your life.

In the unlikely event that a root canal fails, our team will then aim to refit it. Should it continue to fail, we will probably opt for extraction, based on the clinical situation.