“I’d rather (go through labor, break my arm or any other undesirable activity) than have a root canal!”

It’s a common cliché. It’s also a statement that doesn’t accurately reflect modern root canal treatment. The truth is that for people suffering from certain kinds of tooth pain, a root canal is a blessing, not a curse. Approximately 15 million teeth are saved with root canal procedures each year.

Several decades ago, root canals developed a reputation for being painful. While the reputation remains the same, the procedure has dramatically changed and root canals aren’t what they used to be. My office, the Endodontic Center of Redmond, is taking part in the 10th annual Root Canal Awareness Week, from March 27-April 2. Root Canal Awareness Week is a national effort to raise awareness of the role that endodontists play in dental health and to teach the public that root canals should not be feared.

More than half of my patients come to me in pain, and what I do is get them out of pain. As an endodontist, my practice is dedicated to root canal treatment and saving your tooth. I am extensively trained to diagnose and treat oral pain, and have expertise in performing dental procedures in a way that eases my patients’ fears and helps them avoid pain before, during and after a procedure.

Improvements in technology using microscopes and digital and 3D imaging now allow endodontists to more accurately diagnosis and treat tooth pain. Advancements in anesthesia and relaxation techniques help manage a patient’s specific needs to personalize treatment. The vast majority of patients who have had a root canal performed by an endodontist say that they would return to an endodontist for a future procedure. Root canals have a very high success rate, and many teeth last a lifetime.

Dr. Robert Wiesen, DDS, MS is an endodontist and a member of the American Association of Endodontists (AAE) and practices in Redmond.

For additional information about root canal awareness, visit http://www.aae.org/patients/root-canal-awareness-week.aspx or follow the AAE on Twitter at @savingyourteeth or search #rootcanal.