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Is a Root Canal Really Necessary?

woman holds her cheek in pain from a tooth infection needing a root canal

No one wants to get a root canal. It very well might be the most dreaded dental procedure out there (thanks to a lot of myth and misconception though). Sometimes, however, we just have to face the facts. If you’re wondering whether a root canal is really necessary or not, here’s what you need to know.

The Purpose of a Root Canal

Root canals are necessary when there is inflammation or infection in the pulp that’s inside a tooth. During a root canal procedure, this infected pulp is removed, the root canal is cleaned, the tooth is resealed, and a restoration is placed on top to protect the tooth.

The Cost of Not Getting a Necessary Root Canal

There’s no way you can just ignore the problem and hope it goes away if you have a seriously infected tooth. If you don’t get a root canal when you need one, the infection can worsen and spread, possibly causing problems outside of just your mouth. On top of that, the tooth will reach a point where it can no longer be saved and a dental extraction will be the last option to protect your health. This is never preferable since we always want to preserve the natural tooth if possible!

Consult an Experienced Dentist

No matter how much research you do online, the only way you’ll know for sure if you need a root canal or not is to see an experienced dentist. Not only will they be able to look at the tooth in question with a trained eye, but they’ll also have other diagnostic tools like dental X-rays available to help make the final decision.

If you think you might need a root canal, contact us at Trillium Dental. We provide gentle root canal therapy at our Rose City Park dental practice, and we’re happy to answer any questions you might have.


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