Have you ever been told that you need root canal treatment? Over the years, people have intentionally avoided root canals due to misconceptions such as root canal treatment being the most painful dental procedure or root canal treatment causing illnesses. People will go to great lengths to avoid root canal treatments, even choosing to remove the tooth rather than to save it. Contracting a disease from root canals is simply not true. There is no scientific evidence connecting root canal treatment with diseases anywhere else in the body. Treatment being painful and nerve-wracking may have been somewhat true a century ago but with today’s modern medicine and technological advances, the discomfort you feel is usually no more than you would experience when having a cavity filled.

A Dentist that specializes in performing root canals is called an Endodontist. “Endo” is the Greek word for inside and “odont” is the Greek word for tooth. An Endodontist’s job is to save teeth and they will do all they can to achieve that. It’s rare to see them complete treatment outside of their specialty, so should you need additional services, you can expect to be referred elsewhere.

An Endodontic specialist is sometimes the unsung hero of the dental world due to the reputation of root canals. The technology, technique and conduction of root canal treatment has evolved over the years. It’s said the mouth is a window to the overall health of the entire body. Don’t let the misconceptions of the past dictate the future of your oral health – root canals aren’t what they used to be!