Tooth pain is not normal. Even if you have a toothache that comes and goes, you need to figure out why. It could be caused by a bacterial infection inside the tooth. If you leave that untreated for too long, you could lose the tooth and that infection can spread.
Call our San Antonio, TX dental office today at 210-361-2110 (Medical Center) 210-361-2330 (Alamo Ranch) 210-934-8188 (Stone Oak) and schedule your next appointment for a root canal. No, they are not very painful! In fact, there is a lot of fake news online about root canals. Thankfully, Dr. Moore and Dr. Tostado are both highly trained in restorative dentistry. They know the truth about how root canals can save your teeth.
What Are Root Canals?
Root canals are a restorative dentistry treatment. That means they are used to restore your teeth to their healthy state. And that’s exactly what a root canal procedure does by removing the infection behind that toothache.  
Here’s what a root canal typically looks like at Cosmetic Dental Associates.

  • First, our dental team will take detailed digital X-rays of your teeth. This helps our dentists spot where the infection is located in your tooth.
  • Local anesthetic is applied to numb the area and control pain.
  • Our dentist carefully makes an opening in your tooth.
  • Using his training and experience, he gently removes the infection inside your tooth, including your tooth’s roots.
  • The empty space is filled with a special inert material.
  • A dental crown is placed over that tooth to seal the opening and strengthen the tooth.

When Root Canals Are Needed
Why would you get such an infection? Blame harmful bacteria. Everyone has some living in their mouth. When they get out of hand (usually due to poor nutrition or dental hygiene), they create cavities deep enough to break through the enamel.
The inside of your tooth is home to the blood vessels that keep the tooth alive. As the infection spreads, it chokes off those blood vessels and essentially starves your tooth. That’s why the enamel of an infected tooth begins to turn brittle. The inside is also where your nerve endings are found, which is why infections cause toothaches.
Here are some of the signs that you might have an infected tooth:

  • It hurts to eat hot or cold foods.
  • The gums around a tooth are tender or swollen.
  • You have some pain when you chew.
  • You have a toothache that comes and goes.

If you have any of these signs, call our San Antonio dentists today at 210-361-2110 (Medical Center) 210-361-2330 (Alamo Ranch) 210-934-8188 (Stone Oak) and schedule an appointment. Root canals can save infected teeth, but they need to be done in time. If the infection spreads too far, there won’t be enough healthy tooth left to save.
The Real News About Root Canals
Fake news has always been around, but there seems to be more of it these days. That’s probably because those stories are so easy to spread online. Here are several pieces of fake news about root canals and the truth for each.
FAKE: Root canal procedures are very painful.
TRUTH: Done correctly, root canals are not painful.
A long time ago, root canals might have been painful. But the truth is, a root canal procedure at our San Antonio, TX dental office is no more painful than getting a filling. That’s due to two reasons. First, our dentists are highly skilled and experienced in doing root canals. Second, local anesthetic can numb the area thoroughly.
FAKE: It’s better to extract a tooth than have a root canal.
MYTH: It’s better to save your natural teeth whenever possible.
Because there are fake news stories out there saying root canals are bad, some have said the only option you have is to get that infected tooth removed. This is simply untrue. There are cases where the infection spread too far and you need a dental extraction, but that happens when you don’t get a root canal. It’s always a good idea to save your natural teeth, and that’s exactly what a root canal can do.
FAKE: Root canal procedures weaken your teeth.
MYTH: Root canal procedures with dental crowns strengthen your teeth.
This is just the opposite. An infected tooth gets weak because the bacteria are attacking the tooth. The enamel starts to become brittle and can crack or break. A root canal does make a small opening in a tooth, but this is so our dentists can remove the infection. Afterward, you’ll get a dental crown placed over that tooth, adding a layer of protection and strength.
Call our San Antonio, TX dental office today at 210-361-2110 (Medical Center) 210-361-2330 (Alamo Ranch) 210-934-8188 (Stone Oak) and schedule your next appointment for a root canal. They are not very painful despite what fake news might say. In fact, root canals can save your teeth and end the toothache that’s been bothering you for a while.