Just stumbled across this news article today about root canals maybe not being as foolproof as we've been told. Apparently, some researchers found that a decent chunk of people still end up losing their tooth eventually, even after getting the procedure done. Kinda surprised me, honestly—I always thought once you got one, you were pretty much set for life (or at least a good long while). Curious if anyone else saw this or has personal experiences with it...
Yeah, root canals definitely aren't a guaranteed forever fix, even though they're often pitched that way. I've seen some studies too, and honestly, the success rate seems to depend a lot on how well the procedure is done and how careful you are afterward. A friend of mine had one about five years ago—everything seemed fine at first, but she ended up losing the tooth anyway because of an infection that came back. On the other hand, my dad's had two root canals done decades ago, and they're still holding strong.
I think part of it might also come down to individual factors like your immune system, oral hygiene habits, or even just luck. Plus, the tooth itself matters—molars tend to have more complicated roots, so they're trickier to treat successfully. Makes me wonder if dentists should be clearer about the long-term risks or if people would opt for implants more often if they knew this stuff upfront...
