Are There Alternatives to Root Canals?

With the new year coming up, the perfect time to get major dental procedures done, including root canals, will soon be arriving, given the new year means refreshed insurance. At the same time, root canals are increasingly expensive procedures to take on, especially if your insurance will not cover the entire thing. There are some popular theories out there regarding possible alternatives for root canals, but patients should be warned—not every one of them is effective, and they should be considered with caution.

Root Canal Basics

Root canal treatments are recommended when infected, significantly damaged teeth need to be repaired to be saved. This level of damage usually results from cracked enamel, deep cavities, or trauma (even from repeated dental treatment).

The procedure involves several steps, starting with X-rays before removing the damaged tooth pulp while the patient is under localized anesthesia. The area within the tooth is disinfected and cleaned before being sealed with a gutta-percha material. A filling or crown then restores the tooth once the treatment has taken place.

Alternative Ideas

· Extraction : A popular alternative to a root canal is extracting the infected tooth and replacing it with an implant, partial denture, or bridge, but, per the American Association of Endodontists, this method doesn't compare to the benefits of saving the tooth.

· Natural remedies : Given that food choices are known to affect oral health, natural remedy proponents suggest dental infections can be healed through diet, such as avoiding processed sugars or grain products as well as eating quality protein. While embracing healthier lifestyle choices is always a good idea, eating vegetables or fruits cannot fill deep cavities or restore cracked teeth.

· Ozone gas : Another alleged alternative is using ozone gas for irrigating the cavity. Per a study in Interventional Neuroradiology , the ozone will penetrate into the tooth’s tubules beyond the drilled area, killing bacteria, enabling dentists to save more tooth area, and potentially averting the necessity for the root canal. Despite evidence suggesting ozone disinfects the teeth beneath their enamel, the chance remains of the infection returning later, making root canal treatment necessary anyway.

· Calcium hydroxide . Similar to using ozone gas, irrigating via calcium hydroxide solution discourages bacterial growth in teeth canals. Calcium hydroxide, an alkaline substance, also dissolves remaining dead tissue, thereby preventing bacterial growth. Because of toxicity, careful arranging within the teeth canal must be done with a needle or file.

Final Analysis

Despite these root canal alternatives sounding promising, none have the potential to offer the same long-term solutions offered by professional root canal procedures. While it might be surprising, the procedure itself doesn’t cause pain—the infected or damaged tooth tissue does. Root canals allow patients to keep natural teeth, smile confidently, chew efficiently, and all in all enjoy life.

If you need to discuss these treatments with your dentist, make sure you sign up for our New Hampshire family discount dental plan first! It can save you as much as 20 percent off your bill. To learn more about this plan, please click here.

Copyright: robertprzybysz / 123RF Stock Photo