Painful Root Canals Are a Thing of the Past

HARRISBURG, Pa., Nov. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- You're visiting the
dentist for what you think is a routine checkup and cleaning when he or she
says you need a root canal. Though it's a term you've probably heard before,
now that you're the one in the chair, you may have several questions and feel
apprehensive about your upcoming procedure.

Patients have unnecessarily feared root canals for quite some time. The
Pennsylvania Dental Association (PDA) wants to help answer patients' questions
and alleviate any anxiety the public may have surrounding this common
procedure that is performed nearly 15 million times each year.

Root canal treatment is needed when a cavity gets too deep and infects the
pulp, the soft tissue comprised of nerves, blood vessels and connective,
fibrous tissue. During a root canal, an endodontist (a dentist who specializes
in problems of the pulp) or general dentist drills out the cavity, just like
when you have a cavity removed and filled. Only this time, he or she drills
into the hollow center of the tooth and uses a special drill to remove the
diseased pulp tissue. Once the pulp tissue is removed, the hollow spaces are
then filled with a cement and plastic mixture used to seal and prevent future
root infections. Left untreated, tooth decay, damage to the bone around the
teeth, pain, swelling and even tooth loss can occur.

"It is very important to have a permanent filling and sometimes a crown placed
over a tooth with recent root canal treatment," said Dr. Bruce Terry, a PDA
member and endodontist from Wayne. "If the tooth is not properly restored, it
will get reinfected and the root canal treatment will have to be repeated."

Most people fear that root canal treatment is painful, however, due to modern
advances in dental technology, painful root canals are now a thing of the
past. Dentists use lidocaine (a local anesthetic) to numb the area and help
minimize any discomfort. Today's rotary files, apex locators and digital
radiographs make root canal treatment easier than ever. Tooth sensitivity
after the procedure can be easily managed by over-the-counter pain relievers.

"Helping people is why I became an endodontist in the first place," Dr. Terry
said. "In the end, my favorite thing is to hear my patients say 'Everything
I've heard about root canals is a lie.'"

To maintain optimal oral health, PDA recommends brushing twice a day, flossing
daily, eating nutritious foods and visiting the dentist every six months for a
checkup and professional cleaning. Regular visits to the dentist also will
help detect problems in their early stages.

About the Pennsylvania Dental Association
Founded in 1868, the Pennsylvania Dental Association (PDA) is comprised of
approximately 6,000 member dentists. It is a constituency of the American
Dental Association (ADA), the largest and oldest national dental society in
the world. PDA's mission is to improve the public health, promote the art and
science of dentistry and represent the interests of its member dentists and
their patients. PDA is the voice of dentistry in Pennsylvania. For more
information on PDA, visit our website at www.padental.org.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Dental Association

Rachel Damrauer, Communications Coordinator, +1-717-234-5941, ext. 133,
rsd@padental.org