Pros and Cons of a Root Canal – Knowing the Facts

When your tooth become infected or if there is damage to the pulp, your dentist may recommend a root canal.  Often infection in your tooth comes from an untreated cavity, but it can also be a result of trauma.  Your tooth frequently becomes painful and your gums inflamed.

There are pros and cons to having a root canal procedure performed when you have an infection.  The advantage of having a root canal is that there is little pain during the procedure, which eliminates the ongoing pain caused by the infection.  A root canal is not a cosmetic procedure but done for your overall healthy to eliminate an infection.  If the infection is not treated, it will worsen.  Root canal procedures are effective over 92 percent of the time and the greatest pro is that your tooth will not need to be extracted in the future.

A disadvantage to having a root canal done occur when infected tissue is pushed to the ends of the root and your gum gets infected. This occurs infrequently due to the irregular shape of the canals in your teeth and may require you have a second root canal procedure performed to clear up the infection.

After a root canal, a crown and post will be placed to strengthen the tooth, which will be weakened from the root canal.  The crown and post are done at an additional cost.

A root canal is an necessary dental procedure if you are experiencing pain because you need to eliminate the infection inside your tooth.