People usually get scared of root canal procedures thinking they cause immense pain and discomfort. When the tooth’s pulp, made up of nerves and blood vessels, gets infected or damaged, the dentist performs root canal therapy to fix and save it. Root canal treatment is a way to restore a badly decayed or infected tooth. If you don’t treat the affected tooth, the pain will worsen, and you will need to see a dentist.
What is a root canal?
A root canal is a surgical treatment to remove infected pulp and nerves from the tooth. The dentist first drills a hole in the tooth with a dental drill. After that, the tooth is meticulously cleaned and sealed.
In most cases, dental fillings are necessary to treat tooth decay or an infection on the tooth’s surface. On the other hand, a simple filling will not be enough to treat an infected tooth once the disease has spread inside the tooth. Root canal therapy is almost always the only alternative to having the affected tooth extracted completely to treat the underlying issue.
What are some signs that indicate you need a root canal?
Some of the most apparent warnings are that you need a root canal immediately.
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Intolerable Pain in Your Tooth
When patients contact us, one of the most common symptoms they describe is sudden, excruciating pain in the affected tooth upon exerting pressure.
It’s essential to take this pain seriously. There are nerve endings and blood arteries in the pulp chamber of your tooth, which could be damaged if you have dental decay. The decomposition of a tooth has the same effect as a damaged or fractured tooth.
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Swelling in the Gums
Inflammation can cause swelling, and both conditions indicate a disruption in the blood supply to the pulp chambers in your teeth. If an infection blocks these vein connections, the swelling will become noticeable in the mouth. Having swollen gums could be an early sign of a tooth root infection.
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Discoloration of the Tooth
A crown can fix yellow teeth that are damaged or cracked. Sometimes, a tooth’s discoloration indicates an injury to the pulp inside the tooth. The tooth may need a root canal if there is discoloration and pain or increased sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures.
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Cracked and Broken Tooth
An exposed pulp chamber to saliva at the time of cracked tooth is a breeding ground for infection. A root canal saves time and a lot of pain in the long run by replacing the damaged pulp chamber with a filling and, depending on how bad the damage is, possibly a dental crown.
Sometimes, a tiny crack in the root of a tooth can cause similar pain and discomfort, but it’s harder to spot, and most people don’t think of it as an emergency. You must get a root canal treatment immediately.
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Utmost Tooth Sensitivity
It’s not always easy to differentiate between dental pain and tooth sensitivity. If the tooth’s pulp chamber is infected, the nerves in the chamber may overreact to heat, causing an effect that lasts for a while after removing the heat. On the other hand, if you suddenly find that your tooth is sensitive to hot and cold foods, you may require a root canal.
If the gums around one of your teeth don’t look right, you may have an infection. When a tooth is infected, the gum tissue around it can become red, swollen, and change color. You should visit a nearby emergency dentist immediately if you have these signs. Don’t wait any longer if you think you have an infected tooth and need a root canal.