Benefits of Root Canal Treatment

It’s common for patients to want to explore other avenues before they finally agree to root canal treatment. While it might have a bad reputation, we don’t believe it needs to be this way.

Root canal treatment is a highly effective way to protect and preserve your natural teeth. It should be no more uncomfortable than an extraction, with the distinct advantage that you get to keep your natural tooth. In fact, a tooth saved by a root canal treatment could last a further 20 years without giving you any trouble.

In this guide, we’re exploring some of the main benefits of a root canal treatment that could help to convince you that it’s the right course of treatment for your needs.

Saves the natural tooth

Prevention is always better than cure in dentistry. While avoiding tooth decay is the goal, when decay does occur, the next step is to avoid an extraction. Tooth extraction should always be a last resort to protect your oral health and your wider health. We don’t believe it should be a decision made due to budget or fear of more extensive procedures.

Saving the natural tooth will be cheaper in the long-term, as you won’t have to deal with a gap in your smile that could cause issues further down the line.

Eliminates the source of pain

When you need a root canal, this usually means that you have an active infection that is causing you considerable pain. By removing the nerve of the tooth and the infection tissue, the source of your pain will go away

You might experience some increased sensitivity following your root canal treatment, but this should pass as you get used to the filling or crown.

You don’t always need a crown

A common reason to avoid a root canal treatment is because of the worry about having to pay for a crown on top of the procedure. You don’t always need a crown, and some teeth will be perfectly fine with a filling.

You might choose to add a crown at a later date if you want to reinforce the tooth and protect it against further damage, but this isn’t always a requirement.

Anaesthetic is better than ever before

People often fear that their root canal treatment will be painful. Thankfully, dentists are very skilled with anaesthetic placement, and we can spend a little longer making sure your tooth is completely numb before we get started with treatment.

A common reason that root canal therapy has a bad reputation for being painful is that it is nearly always performed on painful and inflamed teeth. These are more difficult to numb completely, but a little extra attention on this part of the procedure can go a long way to making you feel more comfortable.

Long-lasting restoration

A tooth saved by a root canal treatment could last for another 20 years – at least! This is an excellent outcome for a tooth that would otherwise need to be extracted. Saving the tooth will always be superior to removing it, as a gap in your smile can cause issues with the surrounding and opposing teeth.

High success rate

Fear of root canal failure is another reason that patients might put off the treatment. No one wants to go through a long procedure that might have to be repeated in the future. Thankfully, root canal failure rates are very low as this treatment is very effective in dealing with the source of the issue.

Success rates for root canal treatment is thought to be between 85% and 97%. This means there is a low chance that you’ll either need to repeat the treatment or change the treatment plan to an extraction.

Final thoughts

Root canal treatment doesn't have to be scary. If you’re nervous about the treatment, speak to your dentist about what you can do to make it less daunting. As you can see, there are more benefits to root canal treatment than there are downsides, so it’s a logical step if you are suffering from tooth decay.