If the cause of your tooth pain is an infection or severe decay, your dentist may recommend a root canal. A root canal is a dental procedure that involves removing the infected tooth pulp from the tooth.
Signs You May Need a Root Canal
Abscess
You usually see an abscess through X-ray. It is a hole in the jawbone that appears as a dark spot on an X-ray since bone won’t develop in that region. Bone doesn’t grow in an area around an infection.
Fistula on the Gum
A fistula is a pimple-like growth that shows up on the gum. It is usually an indicator of an infection that is trying to get out of the body. The issue is that it doesn’t always go alongside the infected tooth. A fistula can mislead the dentist on which tooth has an infection.
Lingering Pain
Do you feel some sensitivity when you drink cold water? How long does it last? These questions help determine if you have “lingering” or “non-lingering” pain. Lingering pain is a form of discomfort that sticks around. The non-lingering pain goes away.
With non-lingering pain, the pulp inside your tooth recovers from extreme temperature. Non-lingering pain is a sign that the tissue can improve. If you drink cold water and the sensitivity lingers for more than an hour, that is a sign of an infection of the pulp. The tooth is not recovering, and the nerve is likely dead.
Referred Pain
If the pain in your tooth radiates to your ear, jaw, or the surrounding teeth, this could mean you have an abscess.
Spontaneous Pain
Pain whenever you drink hot or cold beverages can indicate reversible pulpitis. But, if you get a wave of pain out of nowhere, that’s possibly a dead tooth.
Still, the final determination of a particular tooth’s need for a root canal is to all available information collected by your dentist, who then views those findings in light of each other. Only with that complete picture can your dentist make an accurate diagnosis.
What to Expect During a Root Canal
You should consult with your dentist if you think you need a root canal. Some of these steps occur over a few office visits.
Step 1: X-ray
If a dentist suspects you may need a root canal, an X-ray can show the location of decay.
Step 2: Anesthesia
Local anesthesia on affected tooth. Contrary to popular belief, a root canal is no more painful than a filling.
Step 3: Pulpectomy
The dentist makes an opening and removes the diseased tooth pulp.
Step 4: Filling
Dentist fills the opened roots with gutta-percha, then seals them off with cement.