Root Canal Treatment And Dental Phobia

Patients who are anxious about dental treatments are often specifically concerned about root canal procedures.  But is it warranted?

Even if you have never had a root canal procedure, you will probably have heard of them, and usually not in a good way. For too long now, this particular dental treatment has been used as a benchmark for pain, with few, if any, other events coming higher on the pain scale. As dentists, we know the reality of this procedure and we’ll discuss it shortly, but unfortunately too many people have their mind set on how painful this procedure is and, when told they need one, tend to express a look of horror. Fortunately, it isn’t anywhere near as bad as it’s reputation suggests.

There are various theories on why this particular treatment has gained its reputation but most dentists think it came from a time before x-rays, where it would be impossible to know if an abscess was present inside the tooth. We are sure we don’t need to go into detail about how painful that would be if the treatment was carried out with one present!

Dental anxiety

Before we look at the root canal procedure specifically, let us take a look at dental phobia generally. This is widespread and something that we see at our local clinic quite regularly. Most patients are able to manage their anxiety to a level where they can undergo any treatment that they need. Some patients do suffer from it more though and we do what we can to make their stay as comfortable and easy as possible for them.

If you are nervous and are tempted to not turn up for an appointment, it is always worth remembering that any discomfort will worsen over time and it is best to have the treatment as soon as possible. You can be sure that you will be in safe and friendly hands at Blue Sky Dental in Chelmsford.

How painful is a root canal treatment?

The truth is that this particular procedure should cause no more discomfort than most other invasive dental procedures. Even if it was ever really painful, the reality is that dentistry has improved greatly over time. Modern dentistry tools make for more efficient treatments and, of course, modern local anaesthetics are very effective at minimising any discomfort that you might feel.

Any concerns about abscesses are easily addressed by the use of x-rays and scans that we routinely take before the procedure starts. Any abscesses will show up on these and if one is detected, the root canal procedure will be postponed until the abscess has been treated and is no longer present.

The procedure

What happens during a root canal procedure is something of a mystery to some people and so, in easy terms, please allow us to explain what will happen once you have been given the ‘all clear’ for the treatment to start.

Step 1 – You will be given a local anaesthetic in the area where the treatment is to be carried out. This will numb the area and enable our Chelmsford dentist to carry the treatment out in relative comfort. You might experience some sensations due to the drilling during the procedure, but you should not feel any actual pain.

Step 2 – A section may be removed from the top of the tooth so that the dentist can access the root canals. Once this has been done, the infected soft pulp material will be removed completely.

Step 3 – The now hollow root canals will be cleaned in order to kill any remaining bacteria that might be left in them after the removal of the infected pulp. Once this has been done, the canals will be filled using a special type of filling called ‘gutta percha’ which is used specifically for this treatment due to its sealing ability. In effect, this completes the treatment

However ….

Step 4 – The tooth may have been treated now, but in its current condition, it will be weakened and also look unnatural. For this reason, most people will then have a porcelain crown attached to the top of the tooth. This gives it additional strength and makes it look natural.

As you can see then, there is nothing especially unusual or anything to be feared about this procedure and certainly no more than some other treatments. Unfortunately it has become a bit of an ‘urban myth’ over the years, and one which sometimes strikes fear in the heart of some patients. If you find that this is happening to you, please do talk to our dentists who will be happy to discuss this in more detail.

For general or cosmetic dental information or to book an appointment to see the dentist or hygienist, please call Blue Sky Dental on 01245 211070. and speak to one of our friendly reception team.