First, recognize that you are not alone in your fear. Many people fear the idea of root canal therapy since they don’t know exactly what to expect or have heard negative commentary.
Second, consider the fact that people often inadvertently lump the memory of their dental pain associated with the need for root canal therapy in with the treatment itself. The indication for root canal therapy is often an excruciating toothache. In contrast, the treatment of that condition, known as root canal therapy, is pain-relieving! So allow us to put you at ease, and take care of your endodontic needs painlessly, with precision and compassion.
Third, carefully weigh your options. The most common alternative to having a root canal performed is extraction (i.e. having your tooth pulled). In carefully controlled clinical studies, patients who have had extractions performed (i.e. had their teeth pulled) report more pain and pressure during the extraction and more post-operative pain and complications after extraction than patients who have had root canal therapy performed instead. With root canal therapy, you will still have your natural tooth; by extracting it, you will not.
Lastly, while root canal therapy is usually preferable, there are conditions and situations which do, in fact, indicate extraction over root canal therapy. Orem endodontist Dr. Jon Jenson at Cascade Endodontics in Utah County will give you an accurate and unbiased professional opinion on whether an endodontic procedure or a restorative procedure would be best for your specific situation.
At Cascade Endodontics in Utah County, we offer various levels of sedation dentistry to help you have a comfortable and relaxed root canal or other endodontic procedure.