Hi Ken,

Your question....
<<WHy are dentists allowed to do so many root canals if they almost always get infected???>>

ANSWER....
ENDODONTIC THERAPY (ROOT CANAL TREATMENT) IS THE MOST LUCRATIVE FORM OF DENTISTRY AND MOST PEOPLE CAN BE SOLD ON THE TREATMENT NOT JUST ONCE, BUT TWICE.... SOMETIMES THREE TIMES. THERE ARE INSTRUMENTS THAT NOW ENABLE A DENTIST TO PERFORM A ROOT CANAL IN A MATTER OF MINUTES. SO YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW MANY PATIENTS CAN BE SEEN IN THE COURSE OF ONE DAY... AT APPROXIMATELY $2000 PER PATIENT.

SECONDLY, MANY PEOPLE DO NOT ASK ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROCEDURE BECAUSE THEY ARE USUALLY IN PAIN AND ARE SCARED TO DEATH TO LOSE THEIR TOOTH.

THE DENTIST USUALLY FAILS TO INFORM THE PATIENT THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE ALL OF THE INFECTED NECROTIC NERVE MATERIAL FROM INSIDE OF THE TINY CANALS AND HOW THIS BACTERIA WILL PROLIFERATE FROM THESE CANALS INTO THE PERIODONTAL LIGAMENT... INTO THE JAWBONE... INTO THE BLOODSTREAM.... AND OFTEN BEYOND.

THEREFORE THE PATIENT IS ALSO NOT INFORMED OF THE SYSTEMIC CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH RETAINING THIS INFECTED TOOTH.

IN DENTISTRY WHEN THE WORD "CURE" IS REFERENCED WITH REGARD TO THE ROOT CANAL PROCEDURE OR APICOECTOMIES OR ROOT AMPUTATIONS... IT SIMPLY MEANS NOTHING MORE THAN "RETAIN".

MY STANCE ON THIS SUBJECT IS SIMPLE..... INFORM THE PATIENT ABOUT THE SHORTCOMINGS OF THE PROCEDURE AND THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH RETAINING AN INFECTED TOOTH..... OFFER OPTIONS SUCH AS REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT... AND LET THE PATIENT DECIDE WHAT IS IN THEIR BEST INTEREST. IF THE PATIENT DECIDES TO STILL GO AHEAD WITH THE ROOT CANAL TREATMENT, AT LEAST THEY HAVE BEEN HONESTLY FOREWARNED.

HOPE THIS ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION....

Bryanna