Pain

Pain in your mouth is never a good thing, and when it’s an intense pain that lingers, that’s even worse. The pain could be coming from a single tooth or several teeth. You may experience pain from pressure such as biting or stimulus such as chewing. You may also experience extreme sensitivity to hot and cold if you need a root canal. When the nerve of the tooth is infected—and the nerve is where the feeling happens—chances are you need a root canal. The pain could range from mild to intense and may linger, even when you stop the action that caused it to start in the first place. At times the pain could be random and be so intense that it will wake you up in the middle of the night.

Swelling

Swelling in your gums could be an indication that you need a root canal. The swelling could be slight or pronounced. Swelling could also indicate an abscess of the tooth—meaning the infection has extended to the tip of the tooth’s roots and is now extending into areas beyond and creating a pus-filled sac. Abscesses usually feel hard to the touch and are painful. The swelling could also be visible on the outside of your jaw or even extend down into your neck. This swelling could mean you need a root canal and should be evaluated by your dentist.

Discoloration

When one of your teeth or several of them begin to turn a different color from the rest of your teeth, you’ll probably feel alarmed. This is a good time to go and see your dentist because you may need a root canal. When there is a problem with the pulp of your tooth, it can cause the tooth to discolor and appear noticeably different from your other teeth. Your tooth doesn’t actually need its nerve to be healthy when you’re an adult, so removing this nerve and sealing the tooth may help with any discoloration you’re experiencing.

Although root canals have a reputation for being painful, the average patient reports little pain and it can be as simple as getting a cavity filled. Be aware of these top signs that you may need a root canal such as pain, swelling in the gums or face and neck area, and discolored teeth. These are not the symptoms of a healthy mouth and you should follow up with your dentist.

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Can a Split Tooth Be Saved Intact?

The short answer is no, but before you surf to another site to get a second opinion, give us a moment to explain the difference between a split tooth and a cracked tooth (which can be saved). We will also discuss treatment options for a split tooth that may, depending on the location of the split, be able to preserve part of the tooth.

The Difference Between Split and Cracked

A cracked tooth starts at the surface of the tooth and extends downward vertically. Sometimes the crack may even reach below the gum line! With the help of a root canal and a full crown, the tooth can be salvaged. However, what happens if the crack continues downward and completely through the tooth- separating it into two segments?

This is now called a split tooth. This generally occurs when some has a cracked tooth for a long time, and either ignores it or perhaps never realizes the crack has occurred. Often, extraction is the only treatment option. Endodontic options, however, may be available if the tooth is split off to one side, leaving the majority of the tooth intact. What can be done?

Endodontic Treatment for a Split Tooth

If only a small portion of the tooth is split from the rest, the tooth still cannot be saved intact, but the larger portion of the tooth may be salvaged. The procedure may involve a root canal, gum surgery, removal of the part of the tooth that has broken away, and other forms of endodontic treatment.

In the end, a permanent crown may be able to preserve the larger portion of the tooth. Again, this is entirely dependent on the extent and location of the split. Thus, if you know that you have a cracked tooth, it is far better to take preventative care and visit a dentist early before a situation becomes worse. Your endodontist is hear to help!

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A root canal procedure cleans out dead and diseased tissue from inside the tooth. Root canal has a success rate of around 95%, but in rare cases, infection can return after a root canal. Another problem that arises in some cases is that the canals are too narrow for the dental instruments to enter. When a root canal fails to clean out the infection entirely, or when infection recurs after a root canal, an apicoectomy may be the best way to save the tooth.

During an apicoectomy, the dentist or endodontist opens the gum tissue to expose the bone and root of the tooth. Any infected tissue is removed, and the tip of the root is also removed. The root tip is usually sealed, and then stitches are made. As healing progresses over the next few months, the bone heals around the tip of the root.

Apicoectomies are performed under local anesthesia and are considered to be minor surgery. Because of the precision instruments involved and the frequent use of a microscope during the procedure, apicoectomy is a type of microsurgery. It usually takes about half an hour to 90 minutes to complete.

An apicoectomy is only performed after one or two root canal procedures have been performed and infection has returned or is still present. All endodontic procedures aim to save teeth; the only other alternative to having these procedures performed is to have the tooth extracted. While there are viable options for tooth replacement such as implants or bridges, saving your natural teeth is the most often recommended course of action.

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Root canal saves a tooth by cleaning out diseased and dying tissue from its inner chamber. The chamber is then filled with a strong material, the entire area is sanitized, and then the tooth is reinforced with a filling or crown. A tooth that has been treated with root canal therapy is restored, strong and can last a lifetime.

Having a dying tooth pulled may seem like an easy alternative to root canal, but most people are not aware of the problems that can be caused by a missing tooth. An open space between your teeth can weaken the foundation of the rest of your teeth. Beginning with the teeth that surround the missing one, the other teeth can gradually begin to shift out of position. Losing just one tooth can lead to crooked teeth and bite problems in the future.

Oral hygiene becomes difficult as teeth shift out of position, because gaps are created that can be difficult to clean. The chance of gum disease is increased as food particles are more likely to be left behind.

When a tooth is lost, replacing it can eliminate some of these problems, but saving a natural tooth with root canal is always recommended. A root canal procedure is generally less expensive and less complicated than getting an extraction and replacement like a bridge or implant. The success rates for root canal and implants are about equal, and both are very high; but with root canal, the tooth you have is your own, with its own natural root still intact.

Root canal today is described as painless by the majority of patients who have undergone the procedure. It can be completed in usually just two office visits, with the second one being for the placement of the crown on the tooth.

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The short answer is no. The idea that a root canal absolutely must be painful is one of the most passed around myths that is treated like gospel truth. In reality, a root canal is one of the best forms of pain relief available to someone who is experiencing oral discomfort.

The myth about how incredibly painful it is to get a root canal first started back in the era before we had access to the same level of medical technology and anesthetics. With an increased ability to make the procedure as painless as possible and provide the correct medication for those who experience complications, a root canal is now about as painful as receiving a filling.

Even recent studies back up this assertion, as the majority of patients who were subjected to a root canal have reported experiencing an unexpected lack of pain. The same polls also showed that the perception of root canals being painful is primarily rooted in those who have never undergone the procedure.

What the rumor mongers do not know is that a person who has never undergone a root canal procedure is a whopping six times more likely to claim it is painful than someone who has already dealt with the procedure and has a more informed point of view.

The vast majority of dental patients end up needing a root canal procedure because they visit the dentist or endodontist and complain about pain in their teeth. Toothaches that are caused by issues necessitating a root canal are typically brought on by nerves inside of the tooth that have been damaged.

When the patient undergoes a root canal, the tissues that are causing their pain and discomfort are removed, which gives them a chance to experience a pain free existence. Instead of giving patients additional pain, a root canal actually gives them much less pain than they were forced to deal with before.

This is why it is important to visit a dentist or another trained professional in the oral field, such as endodontists. Relying on the hearsay of people who for lack of a better phrase, do not know what they are talking out can lead a person to develop an unnatural fear of going to the dentist. As a result, they may allow serious problems to fester so that they can avoid pain. Root canals are not nearly as painful as their detractors will claim and dentists are committed to ensuring that the procedure goes as smoothly as possible.

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