When a lot of people hear the term “root canal” often the first word that may come to mind would be “pain.” This is a big misconception, however. Most often, the pain or discomfort is associated with the toothache that brings them into the dental office in the first place. The damaged nerve and tissue within a tooth in this situation can be extremely painful. A root canal is meant to relieve this pain and, like most other dental procedures, is done under local anesthetic. While every tooth and case is different, most patients report a painless experience with root canals and tolerate the procedure very well.
“Wouldn’t it be better to just have my tooth pulled and get an implant?” This is a question we encounter quite often. While the success rate of implants is generally quite high, implants carry their own risks and associated complications. Root canal treatment is generally very cost-effective compared to replacement options and can possibly prevent additional procedures to adjacent teeth.
– from Dr. Tim Jernberg