Is Root Canal Therapy safe?

Sorting the RCT myths from the facts

If you’ve experienced a prolonged and painful toothache, one possible treatment is Root Canal Therapy, also known as RCT or endodontic therapy.

You can read more about the RCT procedure here; but simply put, it’s a process that’s designed to relieve the pain of a damaged or diseased tooth in the short term, and help you retain your natural tooth in the long term.

Recently we’ve noticed a few people being under the impression that RCT can be unsafe. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

When carried out in a modern dental practice by a qualified and experienced dentist (such as at Wickham Terrace Dental!), Root Canal Treatment has a very high success rate – and complications are few.

We asked our Principal Dentist Dr Andrew Teakle to answer some common RCT questions and sort the fact from the fiction.

Is a tooth extraction preferable to having RCT?

Even with today’s very reliable, durable tooth replacement options, there’s nothing quite like enjoying the feel and function of your natural tooth. That’s why whenever possible, we’ll work to preserve your natural tooth and ensure its health over the long term.

“With the help of RCT we can treat and restore your infected tooth, and avoid the need to have it extracted,” says Dr Teakle. “Root Canal Treatment is not only more cost-effective than extraction and implant placement, it can also help you keep your natural tooth for a lifetime.

Does RCT cause illness through bacteria?

Some of our patients have come across websites which claim that endodontic therapy spreads bacteria throughout the body, causing illness and disease. It’s another myth, says Dr Teakle. 

“If you have teeth and a mouth, you’ll have bacteria,” Andrew said. “But the simple presence of bacteria does not equate to having an infection – and it’s not a threat to your health.”

Bacteria are present in your mouth and on your teeth at all times, even in teeth that have never had a cavity or other trauma. It’s when your tooth’s root has died or been damaged that bacteria can become a problem.

Endodontic treatment eliminates the bacteria from a severely infected tooth, then prevents reinfection and preserves your natural tooth.

Does RCT cause problems elsewhere in the body?

Put simply, no it doesn’t. This is an old and false theory based on long-debunked research from the 1920s, well before modern medicine revealed the true value of RCT.

When reviewed with today’s medical knowledge, the research techniques from the 1920s lack many aspects of modern scientific research. In fact, there is no valid, scientific evidence linking teeth that have had a Root Canal to disease elsewhere in the body. 

What’s more, recent medical research has found that people who have had multiple endodontic treatments actually show a 45% reduced risk of cancer. 

Is Root Canal Treatment painful?

This myth goes back many decades – but it’s no closer to the truth than it’s ever been.

“Far from causing pain, RCT actually relieves the pain and discomfort of a dead or damaged tooth nerve,” Dr Teakle says. “With the help of our modern technology and anaesthetic, RCT is really no more uncomfortable than having a filling.” 

One of the most common causes of severe toothache is damaged tissue in your tooth. Because RCT removes this damaged tissue from your tooth, it also takes away the cause of your pain.  

Talk to us to find out whether RCT is right for you 

If you’ve been suffering through a toothache instead of seeking help – you can stop now! To talk about how Root Canal Therapy can help relieve your pain, use the contact form to the right or call us on 3831 3031 today.