As with many dental procedures, there are many myths about root canals that may scare people out of seeking treatment. In order to overcome the fear and anxiety surrounding a root canal, it is crucial that you understand each myth about root canals. 

Treatment for root canals is essential to maintaining proper oral health and protecting the tooth from spreading infection, abscesses, or need for extraction. If you are feeling unsure about an upcoming root canal, check out some of the myths below to quell your unease. 

1. Root Canals Are Painful

Once upon a time, a root canal procedure could be incredibly uncomfortable for anyone receiving it, which is why this myth about root canals still lingers. But, as we have already covered in a previous blog, it is essential to know that with modern technological and anesthetic advancements, root canals should not be painful. The pain you experience before a root canal should be the worst pain you encounter through the process. 

When your endodontist performs your root canal, you may experience mild discomfort immediately following the procedure. However, mild pain medication and proper aftercare should alleviate any discomfort you may feel The amount of time required for minor pain to go away varies from person to person but should go away in less than a week. 

2. You Should Just Pull The Tooth 

If you are on the fence about receiving a root canal, you may think it is best to pull the tooth. With tooth extraction, you may believe you can skip any irritation following a root canal. However, this myth about root canals is not right. Removing a tooth should not be your first thought when your endodontist tells you that you need to get a root canal performed. 

Your endodontist will not suggest pulling the tooth; you should not consider this option. If it is possible, your dental team will always recommend saving the tooth. The success rate of endodontic treatments is high, and you may not experience any problems with the tooth for the remainder of your life. This success rate means you should only pull the tooth if your endodontist recommends it. 

3. Root Canals Require Extensive Treatment

There is a myth about root canals that they will require extensive treatment. You may also believe root canals require several appointments with your endodontist. However, this is not necessarily true.

The treatment for a root canal can be completed in as little as 60 to 90 minutes. Some root canals may require two or more appointments, but the amount of treatment needed depends on the infection level you are experiencing. Many root canals only require one short appointment before you are on the road to recovery, so you should consider this myth about root canals moot. 

4. You Can Get Sick Because Of Your Root Canal

Almost a century ago, a study was conducted that concluded individuals receiving a root canal could experience illness shortly after the procedure. However, our understanding of modern medication and the contracting and spreading of illness has grown exponentially since then, which is why this myth about root canals is false. 

There is no connection between receiving a root canal and contracting illnesses. Correctly performed root canals remove any harmful bacteria from the tooth. The treatment contains any bacteria in the tooth and does not spread elsewhere. You should consult your endodontist about antibiotic recommendations if you are concerned with potential illness or irritation following your root canal. 

5. My Tooth Doesn’t Hurt, So I Don’t Need A Root Canal

Maybe you have gone to the dentist or endodontist, and they recommend receiving a root canal even though you are not experiencing any irritation from the tooth. You may think without feeling any pain in your tooth, you do not need a root canal. While we understand that without any physical irritation, you may think this is true, this is another incorrect myth about root canals.

If you are receiving the professional recommendation that you need a root canal, it is something you should consider. Your dentist or endodontist may notice things you do not see externally, including the loss of bone. If this is the case, you should trust the opinion of the professionals and seek treatment. 

6. A Root Canal Involves The Removal Of Your Tooth’s Root

There is a myth about root canals that they may consist of the removal of your tooth’s root. However, this is not the case, and it is important to understand how a root canal is performed to understand. 

If you need a root canal, it is likely because your tooth is experiencing rot that has reached the pulp. When performing a root canal, your endodontist will remove the pulp, which reaches down into the root of your tooth. Then, they will clean and fill the canals that have been emptied. The root of the tooth is kept intact throughout the process. 

Overcoming The Myth About Root Canals With David G. Johnson, DDS. 

If you need a root canal, we hope that our clarification of each myth about root canals has put you at ease. To put you even more at ease, you should look for help from an experienced endodontist who can make the process easy for you. In practice since 1990, Dr. David G. Johnson, DDS, is an experienced endodontist who can help you through the entire root canal process. If you are interested in scheduling a root canal with us or have any questions for our team, contact us today at our Layton or Centerville locations. 

It’s a common misconception that teeth are bones. It makes sense: both are white, hard, and contain calcium. If you think that teeth are bones, it’s no wonder why you’d be confused about why teeth can’t heal themselves the same way that bones can. However, similar as they may be, there are key differences between teeth and bones. 

Why Aren’t Teeth Bones?

Both teeth and bones have calcium and are the hardest substances in your body. However, as similar as they appear to be, teeth and bones are actually made of different substances. While bones can regenerate and heal themselves, teeth can’t, which is why you can need fillings, root canals, crowns, and more. 

What Are Bones Made Of?

Bones are made out of living tissue, with protein collagen and calcium phosphate. They also have marrow, which produces blood cells. Since bones are living tissue, this means that they’re constantly being regenerated and remodeled, similar to how your skin regenerates itself every 28 days. When old tissue is broken down, new tissue replaces it. This is why when you break a bone, it can heal itself. 

What Are Teeth Made Of?

While bones are constantly remaking themselves, teeth can’t do this. This is because teeth aren’t made of living tissue. Rather, they’re made of enamel, dentin, cementum, and pulp. While teeth can undergo a process called remineralization, they can’t heal naturally. This is why if you have tooth decay, cracked teeth, or other types of tooth damage, it needs fillings and other types of dental treatments. 

Why Don’t Teeth Regenerate?

Teeth and bones aren’t the same, however… There are animals that can indeed regenerate their teeth, similar to how bones can be regenerated. 

Geckos regrow all of their teeth every 3-4 months, so they are constantly getting new sets of teeth. Sharks can have as many as 3000 teeth and lose about 100 a day. Horses don’t regrow their teeth, but their teeth are constantly growing, which is why horse owners need to have their horses floated every year or so (floating is when the teeth are ground down to a good length).   

So, if in some animals, both teeth and bones can regrow or remodel themselves, why isn’t this the case in humans? Why do humans only get two sets of teeth in their lifetime, while the human skeleton completely remodels itself every 10 years? 

Why Human Teeth Don’t Regenerate

You can thank evolution for the fact that humans only get two sets of teeth in their lifetime. The fact that teeth and bones are different and that our teeth don’t regenerate is actually something that was evolutionarily advantageous. 

In short, it comes down to diet. The reason why creatures like geckos are constantly regrowing their teeth is because they need to. In order to catch and hold onto prey, their teeth need to be the same shape and size. In order to prevent wear and tear, their teeth just replace themselves. 

Mammals have teeth adapted to their diets. For instance, horses are grazers. They’re constantly eating. Their teeth can naturally get ground down, so that’s why their teeth are constantly growing. 

Humans have a diverse diet as omnivores. We need to be able to bite, cut, and grind with our teeth. In order to do this efficiently, your teeth need to match up. This is why dental problems like overbites and crossbites need correction. It is theorized that the reason why we only get our baby teeth and our adult teeth is to prevent the possibility of misalignment with regrown teeth. 

Could Teeth Be Regrown In The Future?

If you’ve wished teeth and bones were more similar in how they can be regrown, this could be an option in the future. Scientists have used stem cells in order to help rats and mice regrow tooth tissue in damaged teeth. No human tests have been done yet, but in the future, there is the possibility that stem cells could be used to help restore damaged teeth tissue. 

However, this is just a potential for the future. Since teeth and bones are different, if you have dental problems, you’ll need to see a dentist in order to have them fixed, lest you end up losing your tooth and needing to replace it with an implant. Teeth cannot heal naturally the way that bones can.

Do You Need Endodontic Treatment?

David G. Johnson, DDS, provides endodontic services for everything from root canals to dental trauma. If you need endodontic treatment, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.

Dental technology continues to improve, just like the rest of the world. One such improvement is the emergence of 3D Imaging, also known as CBCT (Cone Beam Computed Tomography). If your dentist is ever trying to see what’s going on in your tooth structure and a traditional dental x-ray won’t cut it, they can then use a CBCT machine to get a clearer picture. 

Given that 3D Imaging is a new technology, many people may not fully understand how they work or how they compare to traditional dental x-rays. Fortunately, this article has got you covered. Here, we’ll go over how traditional dental x-rays differ from CBCT machines, when dentists would use a traditional dental x-ray versus 3D Imaging, and how it improves your treatment. Let’s get into it!

What’s The Difference Between 3D Imaging And A Dental X-Ray?

In order to better understand how 3D Imaging compares to traditional dental x-rays, it’s helpful to know what the differences between the two machines even are.

Traditional 2D X-Rays

There are a few different types of 2D x-rays. These are used to show details in your mouth. Depending on the type of x-ray that you have done, they may capture images of your teeth, your jaw, and more. 

The different types of dental x-rays include:

• Intraoral.

These involve placing a film inside your mouth. There are a few different intraoral x-rays: bitewind, periapical, and occlusal. These all show details of your teeth to different degrees. These are used in order to track developing teeth and to diagnose oral health issues, such as cavities.

• Bitewings show your upper and lower teeth in a specific area.
• Periapicals show an entire tooth from where it attaches to your jaw all the way to the crown.
• Occlusals show an entire arc of teeth in your jaw.

• Extraoral.

These use different machines in order to locate any dental issues in your jaw and skill. A CBCT machine is a type of extraoral x-ray. Some other types of extraoral x-rays include:

• Digital imaging
• Panoramic
• Sialogram
• CBCT
• And more

3D Imaging

Instead of using traditional photographic film, 3D imaging uses digital x-ray sensors to create a 3D image of your tooth. These use small amounts of radiation in conjunction with electronic sensors from computors in order to form an image of your teeth on a computer screen. 

This type of x-ray requires additional training in order to fully understand how to use it, however, many dentists prefer it, as it shows more details about what is going on in your mouth.

When You Would Get A Traditional Vs Digital X-Ray

Since CBCT machines provide a more detailed, comprehensive look into what’s going on in your mouth, many dentists prefer to use them for diagnosing many different dental conditions. 

Typically, they’re more commonly used in complex cases, such as if you have pain and the dentist can’t see why from a traditional x-ray. 3D imaging can also be used in place of a traditional x-ray if you have someone who struggles with traditional x-rays, either because gag reflexes or impatient children or what have you. 

Even if a dentist has a CBCT machine, they may still prefer to use traditional x-rays in order to look at cavities and other common oral health problems. But when it comes to looking at your roots and other, more complicated issues, dentists usually prefer to use CBCT machines in order to get a more accurate look. 

This allows them to improve their treatment process and provide you with optimal care. 

How CBCT Machines Improve Your Treatment

There are quite a few benefits to using CBCT machines! We’ve gone over the benefits of 3D Imaging for your treatment more in detail in our previous blog post, The Benefits Of 3D Imaging For Your Teeth. That said, we’ll provide you with a quick overview so you can get a general idea of how this machine benefits you.

Some of the ways that CBCT machines improve your treatment include:

• Increased comfort
• Increased convenience
• Less time
• Environmentally safe
• Better suited for diagnosing issues
• Better suited for patient learning
• Non-invasive
• Improved treatment
• Improved accuracy
• Safer than traditional x-rays

Here at David G. Johnson, DDS, we care about providing each and every one of our patients with the best endodontic care possible. That’s why we use CBCT machines in order to diagnose your oral health problems and get a clear picture of what’s going on. To schedule an appointment, please don’t hesitate to contact us today!