What Do You Know About Root Canals?
The American Association of Endodontists celebrated Root Canal Awareness Week on March 30 – April 5, 2014. Currently in its eight year, this week is a time for people to learn the facts about this valuable treatment and how it can help them. Endodontists and other dental professionals are setting aside time during RCAW to focus on patient education and empowerment through the sharing of reliable information.
Why is Root Canal Awareness Important?
Though many people have heard of root canals, not everyone actually understands what this procedure is, what condition it is meant to treat, or how it could benefit them as a dental patient. For instance, did you know that:
• Modern root canal treatments are virtually painless?
• Root canal treatments can preserve a natural tooth?
• Endodontists specialize in performing root canals?
• Endodontists perform an average of 25 root canal procedures each week?
• Root canal treatments can relieve the pain of infection deep inside a tooth?
Even though dental students are likely to recognize the value of root canal procedures, it is important to share this information with others who may not be aware of how these procedures could benefit them. When a patient’s natural tooth is preserved through a root canal procedure, they retain their natural sensation and bite and can enjoy more effective chewing. Treating a tooth infection could prevent discoloration and disease from spreading to adjacent teeth; this allows patients to retain their natural smile.
How You Can Get Involved
Dentists and dental students can get involved in Root Canal Awareness Week every year, but you don’t have to be a dental professional to be part of it. As a patient you can ask your dentist for more information about the procedure, even if you don’t need to have it done right now. Confronting misinformation with facts helps relieve patient anxiety and makes people less reluctant to seek this and other types of dental treatment. You can educate yourself about this procedure and other forms of endodontic treatment by visiting the website of the American Association of Endodontists.
