Root Canal: Frequently Asked Questions

QUESTION: DOES A ROOT CANAL HURT?

A: Most of us have heard horror stories about the dreaded root canal.  What you may not know is that, with today’s technological advancement, root canal therapy (also known as endodontic therapy) is most often a completely painless and very successful procedure that can save your natural tooth. When you see Smiles of Virginia, there’s no need to fear!

QUESTION: DO I HAVE TO HAVE A ROOT CANAL?

A: Generally you have two options: (1) you have the affected tooth removed (extraction) or (2) you save the tooth through emergency root canal therapy. However, when you extract a decayed or infected tooth, significant and costly dental problems could arise for the adjacent teeth. In the end, extracting your tooth may cause more problems than it will solve. Often root canal therapy is a much more desirable alternative, as it provides full functionality to the tooth and mouth, and will not cause any future problems with adjacent teeth. With modern technology, the success rate is also very high.