Root canals have a success rate of more than 95%, and in most cases, they last a lifetime. This is something that is seen first-hand with patients in dental offices, and scientific research supports these observations. A detailed study on the subject examined the long-term efficacy of 487,476 endodontic treatments. According to this report, 98% of root canals last one year, 92% last five years, and 86% last ten years or more.
Molars treated by endodontists had a 10-year survival rate that was significantly higher than those treated by general dentists. With proper care, a tooth that has been treated with a root canal can last a lifetime. However, there is a remote chance that your dentist will recommend that you have yours redone. This could be due to the fact that the 99 dental offices across the country can perform root canals in slightly different ways.
It is also important to fill the tooth and place a crown after the endodontic procedure to increase its longevity. Extracting the tooth instead of performing a root canal leaves the space empty, which can affect the alignment of the rest of the teeth, as well as the ability to chew food properly. Today, root canal treatment will save your natural tooth and allow you to keep it functional for decades, if not a lifetime. There are many anesthesia options that you and your dentist can discuss for root canal therapy.
While general dentists have some education and training in root canal therapy, they often send cases to their endodontic partners for treatment. It is necessary to remove the infected pulp from the tooth and clean, shape, disinfect and fill the root canals to seal them, so that they are less susceptible to future infections. That's why it's important to place crowns on endodontically treated teeth to cover them and protect them from excessive stress, which will increase their longevity.
