Common Questions

As seen in ROCHESTER HEALTHY LIVING, August 2009
Article by Dave Harney

   American Association of Endodontists (AAE) reveals that such fear plagues over 80 percent of adults, and over half say it may keep them out of the dental chair. Many have had unpleasant experiences as a child and will only visit a dentist on an emergency basis as an adult.
    “Seeing a general dentist twice yearly is step one to good oral health. If you need a complicated procedure, like a root canal, ask for a specialist,” says AAE President Dr. Louis Rossman, a root canal specialist. “Endodontists have advanced training and technology that make the procedure comfortable for patients.”
    Rochester endodontist Joseph Quevedo DDS, MSD, urges people to put aside their fears, even of procedures like root canals, to ensure proper care of their mouth and teeth.
    “Poor oral health and tooth loss can be linked to many serious conditions, including heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. So people should take steps to preserve their natural teeth,” he says. “Root canals are the best way to save infected teeth and are practically painless today.” Tremendous improvements and advances in dental technology, dental materials, and methods have been made over the past 25 to 30 years. Unfortunately, anxiety and fear can prevent patients from seeking the dental treatment they require for good health.”
    Dr. Quevedo encourages patients to be honest about their anxiety, which can help their dentist create solutions to ease worries. Fear of the unknown, specifically the pending procedure, can create significant anxiety. Knowing what to expect eases tension, so he suggests not being afraid to ask questions or have any procedure explained. Diffusing stress and anxiety is best accomplished prior to the procedure.
    Distractions also can help. For example, most dentists provide a portable music device and headphones to make you more comfortable. Many offices, including Dr. Quevedo’s, have high tech entertainment options,
including plasma TV monitors in the ceiling directly above the patient. They also offer noise canceling headphones which help mask the sound of the drill.
    Fearful patients should be aware there are numerous relaxation and distraction techniques available. These can be used in conjunction with different types of anesthesia and sedation. These treatment options can be titrated to patients’ specific needs to reduce dental anxiety and provide painless root canal treatment. Many endodontists offer enteral or conscious sedation. Oral sedative medication is administered in conjunction with nitrous oxide by a licensed practitioner. Severely anxious patients are often treated with oral sedation during the first visit. Once the patient
has gained trust and confidence, subsequent visits can be completed with simple relaxation techniques without the need for oral medication or conscious sedation. “In our office they are available, if needed,” says Dr. Quevedo.
    For more information on root canal treatment, visit Dr. Quevedo’s website at www.quevedorootcanal.com or the AAE at www.rootcanalspecialists.org.

We will take every measure to ensure that your procedure is in no way uncomfortable or painful. If treatment is needed, we will inject a small amount of anesthesia to gently numb a concentrated area of your mouth. For most patients, the feeling of numbness usually subsides after 2-3 hours.

For patients with dental anxiety, we are able to offer nitrous oxide sedation and enteral sedation.  Enteral sedation requires the patient to take medication the night before and an hour before the appointment.  The medication will cause the patient to become deeply relaxed, though fully responsive.  During treatment, patients are conscious, but mentally detached from the treatment procedures.  If you would be interested in enteral sedation, inquire at the time of your evaluation. If enteral sedation is used, we require the patient have someone drive them to and from their treatment appointment.

Yes, for most root canal treatments, we recommend that patients return to the office 1 year after the procedure was finished. Our office will send a reminder notice to you when you are due for a recall appointment.

We advise our patients to return to their general dentist to permanently restore the endodontically treated tooth between two to four weeks after treatment.