History of Root Canals

Does the word root canal instill fear in you? That has everything to do with the history of the procedure. While root canals may have once been a procedure to fear, modern technology has turned them into a breeze. Come with us on a journey through the history of this important procedure, and you’ll understand how far technology has come!

Early Root Canals

We don’t know precisely when the first root canal was performed, but history tells us that it was a long time ago. The first traces of root canal in human remains date back to the second or third century BC.

The Evolution of the Procedure

At that time, it appears that wire was used to treat the infected root canal. Over the centuries that followed, treatment evolved very slowly. Treatment involved draining the area to relieve pain and cap the tooth with various materials, including gold. Generally, though, people didn’t have a great way to treat infection within the root canal, and as a result, patients with this issue were subject to pain, complications, and, usually, eventual tooth loss.

Real Progress

Finally, by the 1800s, we began to understand how to address a root canal infection, as experts began to study the anatomy of the root canal, helping them to understand the problem they needed to address. In the 1900s, x-rays and anesthetics were introduced, and many advancements in dental research were made, bringing about even more progress toward a safe and reliable root canal procedure.

Root Canals in Cary, NC

Thanks to rapid advancements that took place throughout the last century, the root canal procedure we offer today at Parkside Family Dental doesn’t look anything like the root canal procedure your parents or grandparents may have had to endure. Quick, effective, and painless are three words you could use to describe the modern iteration of the procedure.

You know what that means—no excuses! If you’re due for a root canal procedure, there’s no reason to delay. Call our office today or stop by our website to get your appointment scheduled.