It might sound like the oxymoron to end all oxymorons. How can a root canal end pain, when everything we've been taught to know about dentistry since Little Shop of Horrors suggests that root canals were invented by sadistic dentists for the sole purpose of inflicting pain? While the image of Steve Martin and decades of cultural conditioning can be hard to shake, the truth is that (most) dentists are actually gentle, lovely people who dedicate their lives to making sure our teeth remain healthy, pretty, and in our mouths.

And while we're dispelling dental myths (don't worry, I won't tell you the tooth fairy isn't real), the truth is that not only are root canals not particularly painful, but they actually help to alleviate the often excruciating pain of a severely decayed tooth.

Root Canal Treatment in Milford, MA

First things first. On the pain meter, a root canal procedure does not feel much different than getting a cavity filled. When a tooth becomes severely decayed or suffers trauma, it can lead to a buildup of infection causing and nerve-damaging bacteria inside the tooth. If left untreated, the tooth might require extraction. Under local anesthetic, a dentist at Milford Dental Group will clear away any bacteria that has entered the space inside the tooth where the nerves and soft pulp tissue are located. Any damaged and diseased nerve tissue is cleared to help relieve pain and to make the tooth healthy again.

In addition to saving the tooth from possible extraction, a root canal also saves the added pain, time, and expense of having an extracted tooth replaced with a dental implant or dental bridge and crown.

Contact a Dentist in Milford, MA

Many people choose to unnecessarily suffer through tooth pain for fear that a trip to the dentist and the treatment will be worse. To learn more about how a root canal can help ease tooth pain and save a damaged tooth from extraction, contact Milford Dental Group at (508) 966-7923 to schedule an appointment today.