Root Canal Awareness Week isn’t the best known holiday on the calendar. Still, this annual event is pretty significant for dental care professionals. That’s because it provides us with the perfect opportunity to explain why a root canal in Arlington Heights is nothing to fear. In fact, it might even be cause for celebration. We’ll explain why in this post.
“Don’t Stop Thinking about Tomorrow”
That’s the title to a popular song by the legendary supergroup Fleetwood Mac. It refers to the fact that the future is often better than the past. This is especially true when it comes to medical and dental technology. 200 years ago the only option for dealing with a toothache was to give the patient a shot of whiskey and pull the tooth with a set of iron clamps. Talk about painful experiences!
We can all be grateful that those days are gone forever. Today’s dentists are able to offer better care in less time than just a few short years ago. This has made virtually every aspect of dentistry more comfortable for the patient, including the often-dreaded root canal. Here’s why:
- Better anesthetics: modern painkilling drugs do a better job of preventing discomfort without impairing the person’s ability to perform daily tasks afterwards.
- Better techniques: part of what made a root canal complex in the past was the need to track down each of the nerve roots at the base of the tooth. This is an advanced skill that has seen significant refinement in recent years, as a result of ongoing research and training.
- Better technology: new digital imaging devices enable today’s dentists to see exactly what’s going on inside a patient’s tooth. This allows them to spot problems that might have been missed years ago, such as a bit of nerve tissue or infected pulp.
For all these reasons, a modern root canal is nothing like what you may have experienced in the past. Don’t let yesterday’s concerns keep you from enjoying today’s benefits.
Why Extraction Is Never the Ideal Solution
Some people wonder why dentists do everything possible to save a tooth before opting for extraction. After all, isn’t it easier just to pull the thing to be done with it? Unfortunately, things are rarely that simple. Here’s why:
- Extracting a tooth is often neither quick nor easy. In fact, it may require extensive oral surgery, especially if infection has created stress fractures in the tooth’s structure.
- Extraction sometimes entails a lengthy recovery process. During this time the patient may experience significant discomfort and be at greater risk for infection.
- Extracting a tooth makes the remaining teeth weaker. Your teeth were meant to work as a single unit. When even one is missing, the others are vulnerable to unnatural sideways pressure. Over time, this can lead to widespread tooth loss.
For all these reasons, we think modern root canals are something to celebrate. Make an appointment to see your dentist in Arlington Heights soon if you’re experiencing any type of dental problem. Who knows? You might walk out of the office wearing a big smile.
About the Author
Dr. Peter A Kics is an honors graduate of the Northwestern University Dental School and a Member of the American Dental Association. He’s highly skilled in many aspects of dental care, including root canal therapy. You can reach his office online or by calling (847) 577-7171.