However, the degree and severity of the damage will determine which procedure you'll need. While a filling is perfect for treating minor cavities and tooth damage, a root canal is used when the infection has reached the
When you need dental fillings, you may have a throbbing pain in your tooth, especially when you chew. When you need a root canal, the pain can be much more severe, and that pain may worsen when your tooth is exposed to hot or cold temperatures.
Sometimes, a root canal might not be necessary and a patient will only require a filling. Fillings will be recommended if the tooth has a smaller cavity or minor tooth decay that hasn't reached the pulp of the tooth.
You can get a filling before a root canal if there is no damage to the root canal system. However, if the nerve and blood vessels of your root canal system are inflamed or infected, it is essential that they are cleaned and treated before a filling can be placed over the cavity.
When you get an x-ray, this will give definitive proof that you need to get a root canal. The x-ray gives the dentist a clear view of any infection in the tooth especially one at the root of the tooth.
Since patients are given anesthesia, a root canal isn't more painful than a regular dental procedure, such as a filling or getting a wisdom tooth removed. However, a root canal is generally a bit sore or numb after the procedure, and can even cause mild discomfort for a few days.
It can take as long as five years from the time a cavity begins to develop to when the tooth needs treatment to prevent the cavity from spreading further.
A toothache may be the most common sign that you might need a tooth filling. But, sensitivity to certain temperatures, to pressure, or too sweet foods are also indicators that you need a filling. Finally, if you experience sudden or throbbing pain when biting or chewing, you also might need a tooth filling.
A root canal can be required when a tooth becomes decayed or damaged through an accident or injury, or when a deep cavity or issues from a previous filling has dictated it. However, many root canals could be avoided with preventive care and caution when you're in situations where your teeth are at risk.
Dental treatment alternatives to a root canal include direct pulp capping, pulpotomy, pulpectomy, endodontic retreatment, endodontic surgery, tooth extraction, dental implants, bridges, or dentures.
You must undergo a root canal within a few weeks to fully eliminate the infection and save your tooth.
There is a common myth that you will experience excruciating pain when you need a root canal. The truth is that you need root canal treatment if the pulp of your tooth is damaged or infected, regardless of the pain.
For many patients, getting a root canal is no more painful than getting a cavity filled thanks to the use of local anesthetic and modern endodontic techniques. Most people report feeling comfortable throughout their procedure, feeling pressure and movement at times, but not pain.
If the decay reaches your tooth's main structure, called dentin, then a filling can replace the lost tooth structure after your dentist has cleaned the cavity of bacteria and infection. However, if it reaches the tooth's center chamber, called the pulp, a filling may no longer suffice to address it.
In the case of a deeper cavity that has reached the pulp or nerve canals, you may notice a bad taste in your mouth. Severe spontaneous pain, pain to pressure, pain that wakes you up at night and pain to hot are often signs of an infected nerve.
The only way to cure tooth decay is to drill out the cavity before it spreads. However, if the cavity is too big for a filling, our dentists will recommend a porcelain crown to strengthen the tooth.
The root canal procedure is completed in two separate visits to ensure that the tooth is thoroughly cleaned out, sealed up, and protected from further damage.
Because a tooth that needs a root canal usually has a large filling or is weakened from extensive decay, a crown or other restoration usually needs to be placed on it. A crown can help protect the tooth from future damage and return it to normal function. It will also prevent it from breaking.
If your tooth is throbbing this could be a sign of early onset tooth decay. Tooth decay occurs when bacteria eats away at the enamel on the exterior of your tooth, causing a cavity in the tooth which gradually becomes bigger as bacteria builds.
In short, when you need a root canal, it may feel like throbbing pain due to infection inside of the root of your tooth. A visible fistula, swelling, or temperature sensitivity might be present.
An untreated root canal can also lead to dental abscesses or a life-threatening heart attack, stroke, or sepsis. Not to mention the fact that if your infection progresses to this point, you will likely be in extreme pain.
Most patients get mild symptoms, if any. One comparative study of 168 root canal patients in the International Endodontic Journal cited a pain level hovering just above one on a zero-to-10 scale. Researchers noted that 63% of participants recorded no anterior pain at all.