How To Know If You Need a Root Canal ?

With good dental hygiene and routine oral exams, your teeth can last for a lifetime. However, your natural teeth can crack, chip, discolor, stain, or wear down. It can happen from car accidents, bruxism, sports injuries, and poor dental hygiene and habits. Unfortunately, teeth damage can expose you to oral issues like tooth decay, gum infection, jawbone disorders, poor bite, tooth loss, and ruin your beautiful smile.

When your teeth are damaged, it’s essential to seek the proper treatment as soon as possible. It will give your dentist a better chance to repair the damage and restore your dental health. Root canal therapy is one of the best procedures for a severely decayed or infected tooth. Contact Concord Woods Dental Group for root canals in Concord, MA.

What is Root Canal and why is it Necessary?

A root canal treatment is an endodontic procedure used to treat infection at the tooth’s pulp (the tooth’s center). An infection at the pulp happens when the bacteria that live in the mouth invade the tooth. It happens if your tooth’s enamel (the outer layer of the tooth) is compromised.

When the tooth’s pulp is infected, the bacteria multiply and spread to other tooth parts and surrounding gums and jawbone. In a worse scenario, the infection can enter the bloodstream, increasing your risk of chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, pneumonia, sepsis, etc.

A root canal treatment is necessary to remove the infected pulp, thereby saving the tooth and preventing the infection from spreading further. After removing the infection, the tooth is cleaned, disinfected, and filled to prevent re-infection. A crown can strengthen and protect the tooth further. Visit our dentist in Concord, MA, for a root canal treatment.

How to know if you need a Root Canal?

The following symptoms can indicate you have an infected pulp and you might need a root canal:

• Severe and persistent tooth pain

Pain is one of the key indicators of something wrong with a particular part of your body. If you have a persistent and severe toothache, your tooth is infected, and you need a root canal. Usually, the pain worsens when applying pressure to the area when chewing, brushing, or flossing. Besides tooth infection, tooth pain can result from gum disease, damaged filling, an impacted tooth, or a referred pain from another problem. Regardless of the cause, it’s a good idea to consult a professional.

• Swelling and inflammation

Along with a toothache, patients with an infected tooth also experience oral swelling and inflammation—the swelling results from the waste materials from decayed pulp tissues. You might experience this along the gum line, cheek, or neck. While swelling could indicate other issues like gum disease, visit your dentist to establish the source of the problem.

• Sensitivity to temperature

While sensitivity to extreme temperature could have many causes, severe and consistent sensitivity often indicates an exposed nerve or infected pulp. If you experience sensitivity when taking hot coffee or eating an ice cone, visit your dentist to determine the underlying cause and establish whether you need a root canal.

• Tooth discoloration

Tooth stains or discoloration can result from acidity, poor dental hygiene, tobacco use, and consumption of highly colored food items like coffee or dark candy. Still, a tooth can darken from an infected pulp. You’ll need a canal to save the tooth in such a case. Later the dentist can provide cosmetic treatments to whiten your smile.

• Dental abscess

Patients with severe tooth infections can also get a dental abscess (a pimple filled with pus). A dental abscess can cause oral discomfort, swelling, taste, or bad breath. It’s essential to seek immediate dental treatment to prevent the infection from spreading further.

• Dental trauma like chips and cracks

A cracked or chipped tooth makes you vulnerable to pulp infection, causing the need for a root canal. Similarly, an infected tooth is more vulnerable to fractures and trauma. Either way, you may need a root canal to save the tooth. If the tooth is beyond saving, the dentist might recommend removing it.

Final Verdict

If you have these and other worrying dental symptoms, you should seek treatment immediately. Contact our endodontist in Concord, MA, for root canal treatment.