Research has shown that people consider root canal procedures the most feared dental procedure. However, there are several myths that go along with root canals that you should be aware of:

Myth #1) Root canal therapy is painful. 

Usually, a root canal is performed to reduce or eliminate pain that a tooth is causing. Most people who go through root canal therapy actually say they did not have any pain during the procedure and even felt better afterwards. There may be a misconception on root canal therapy because of early treatment methods that were used to perform the procedure.

Myth #2) It takes several appointments to complete root canal therapy.

Actually, it’s quite the contraire. Most root canal therapy can be completed within one or two appointments. It really depends on the extent of the infection, the difficulty of the root canal and whether or not a referral to a root canal specialist is necessary, also known as an endodontist.

Myth #3) By having a root canal, you are making yourself susceptible to illness.

Bacteria can be found in any mouth at any time, whether you have healthy teeth and gums or not. There hasn’t been any research done to prove that root canal procedures heighten the risk of acquiring an illness or disease.

Myth #4) Your teeth must hurt before root canals are necessary.

It is not true that you’ll necessarily be in pain before receiving treatment. It is very possible, in fact, that a dead tooth with no feeling may still need a root canal to avoid infection.

Myth #5) Benefits of root canal treatments do not last long.

Patients have experienced their tooth breaking months after a root canal. When the nerve is removed from inside the tooth, so is the blood supply. This causes the tooth to become very sensitive to actions such as grinding, eating and perhaps even talking. This can happen by not having a crown placed on the tooth. So, technically, it is not the root canal that has failed, but instead it is the restoration on the tooth that has failed.

So, even though going to the dentist is not like going to Disneyland, it doesn’t have to be like going to a funeral either. Besides if you’re a good patient, you might even get a lollipop at the end of your appointment!