I had a number of teeth root canaled over 20 years ago and they are very safe The procedure is not dangerous and it is effective in saving your tooth.
It is far better to have this procedure done than to extract a tooth. Extraction is, imho, a last resort. Once you extract a tooth, you have repace it. One of two ways: 1) a bridge, which requires that the teeth on either side of the extracted tooth be a "support" for the lost tooth. This affects and weakens these teeth. Over time, teeth shift and you need another bridge. A far better, but very expensive way is to have an artificial tooth implanted. This works and behaves like a real tooth.

So, if you need a root canal to save that tooth, by all means get one. You can read the following link or do your own research. The point as in all things is to do the most conservative thing. Extracting rather than saving is not the most conservative thing to do, Extraction is a last resort method unless it is a wisdom tooth yu don't need.

Please do the necessary research and get a second opnion.
This is my opinion, based on my reading and my experience. This is not professional advice.

Hi jjhere,

Thanks for sharing your story and opinion. Having been in the dental profession for over 30 years it is completely understandable for a person to think that a root canal procedure has "saved" their tooth. After all, that is exactly what their dentist has told them. Unfortunately, what they have not been told is that in dentistry the term "save" when referring to endodontics simply means to "retain" or "keep". It does not mean to "cure" or make healthy. This fact has never been disputed at any time amongst the dental profession. It is just one that is not usually offered or shared by the dentist to the patient. Another fact not shared is the reason for the inability to make that tooth healthy again which is simply because the anatomy of a tooth does not permit any dental procedure to alter the size, shape or inaccessibility to the hundreds of microscopic canals known a dentin tubules or accessory canals that will for the life of the root canaled tooth contain necrotic, infected, inflamed nerve tissue. As yet other facts not shared are the toxicity of the root canal procedure itself or the systemic health consequences associated with retaining necrotic, infected, non vital teeth.

With all organs, bones, muscles, tissue and major systems of the body, blood is a vital nutrient that supplies nourishment and sustains life. Without the nourishment from blood, there is no life. The root canal procedure amongst it's many injurious and toxic steps, severs the blood supply from the tooth rendering the tooth non vital. This creates a perpetual chain of negative events referred to as ischemia and necrosis that eventually occur to the periodontal ligament and surrounding bone. The infectious bacterias that form as a result of this chain of events is not self limiting to just that tooth or just the mouth .. it is bacteria that filters through the blood stream, into every organ of the body.

It is true that once you extract a tooth, it's gone. Nothing can replace that tooth to make it fit, feel or function like your own tooth. However, what also needs to be realized is that once that tooth is no longer vital you have lost it anyway.

Given some light to this topic, I believe it is ones own opinion of what they think conservative to be and everyone has the right to make a decision that they feel is in their best interest. The choices are none other than this..... Do you want to "retain" toxic teeth that undeniably carry disease along with risk of infecting your other teeth and your health? Or do you want to remove the source of the disease, keep your other teeth healthy and eliminate the health risks?

I truly appreciate your sharing here. My sole purpose here is to offer the information that I know to be factual and I know to be most often withheld from the dental patient.

Bryanna

Sure ! I'm sure root canal is safe and having this procedure is not going to kill us. I don't care what others are saying but I just consider the following facts, not opinion :

1. there are miles of micro canal inside the dentin, perfect breeding ground for bacteria.
2. There are tons of bacteria inside our mouth.
3. Ask yourself and THINK logically and analyze any chance this bacteria may find home inside the dentin and start multiply inside once you have your tooth root canaled in 1, 5, 10 or 15 years ??
4. If you think these bacteria is beneficial to your general health then have your tooth root canaled.

Hi ono8ono,

You are obviously doing a lot of reading about the topic of root canals and have a clear understanding about the correlation between those untreated tiny canals and the migration of the bacteria that resides inside of them after a rc procedure. I am impressed with your explanation of that

The idea that the root canal procedure is safe is presented as such to the patient in the same way that it is presented as a means of "curing" an unhealthy tooth. Which we know that to be untrue. Those who know what is involved in that procedure AND are mindful of the toxicity of the disinfectants and filling materials used during the procedure do not regard the rc procedure as safe. If you think about toxic chemicals like formaldehyde and radioactive materials that remain in the tooth for the life of the tooth, being used in your mouth then that immediately tells you it's not safe. The root canal procedure causes irreversible damage and injury to the tooth. Because the teeth are intricately connected to live nerves, tissue and bone, those areas will also withstand trauma that could result in permanent damage and even neurological problems. There are many risky and unsafe aspects associated with the rc procedure. You would have to research deeply to find them as they are not easily accessible to the public.

Bryanna