Root Canal Treatments Should No Longer Be Painful

In dentistry there are some myths I would like to dispel. One of the most common myths is that everything that a dentist does will hurt. Fortunately, I am delighted to say, the anesthetics we use daily in dentistry combined with very thoughtful and well-practiced injection techniques result in the patient feeling little or nothing most of the time. Another common myth patients seem to want to hold on to is that having a root canal treatment is so painful that it is the worst thing that could happen. Years ago root canal treatments were not comfortable, because the anesthetics and instruments were not as advanced as those we regularly use today.

It is true that a root canal is not something that patients look forward to having, but the procedure itself does not have to be painful—because the patient is profoundly numb and they do not feel what is going on during the treatment. The procedure is usually completed very swiftly. Today, most patients are surprised when I tell them we have to do a root canal, and before they know it they have been numbed and we have finished the procedure. The reality of root canal treatment is that it is far from what people anticipate and it is actually remarkably comfortable for the patient because the area being treated is numb.

The goal of performing a root canal treatment is to be conservative–to save the tooth rather than pulling it. The nerve is the problem, so we remove it and treat any infection that is present. We place a crown on the remaining healthy tooth to stabilize it and hold it so it can be functional for the patient for many years to come. The patient is spared the cost of an implant that would be needed to replace an extracted tooth. In this way, having a root canal is conservative and cost effective.

New Patients Welcome!

-Dr. Alexander Lezhansky Office in Manhattan and Brooklyn