Pain. Strong pain does not always mean that the patient needs a root canal treatment. In some cases, the tooth which requires the surgery, may not even hurt. When pain is present, however, this can indicate a necessity for a root canal.
Root canal therapy becomes necessary when there is a problem with a tooth's pulp, which is the soft substance in its center that contains its nerve and blood vessels. In many cases, problems with the pulp irritate the nerve and cause significant pain. However, in other cases, there is virtually no pain.
Do I Need A Root Canal If There Is No Pain? Pain and swelling may be common, but they are not always present. You may experience mild or even the absence of symptoms for a time, but eventually that tooth will become painful.
You might still need a root canal even if you do not feel any pain because not all infection results in pain. The purpose of a root canal is to handle any infection that has developed in your tooth pulp, not just stop you from feeling pain. A root canal can save your infected tooth from having to be extracted.
Most individuals registering for root canal treatments are between the ages of 35 and 44. Any age or person who consumes a lot of sugar and carbohydrates is susceptible to tooth decay and dental issues.
What is the Typical Age for Root Canal Treatment? There is no specific age for root canal treatment. If any individual is experiencing a severe tooth infection, they may require root canal therapy in Yellowknife. However, it is more likely for an individual to require root canal therapy between the ages of 12 to 65.
You must undergo a root canal within a few weeks to fully eliminate the infection and save your tooth. In general, a root canal typically takes about two hours to complete, but it can require subsequent visits depending on the severity of the damage.
Dental treatment alternatives to a root canal include direct pulp capping, pulpotomy, pulpectomy, endodontic retreatment, endodontic surgery, tooth extraction, dental implants, bridges, or dentures.
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.
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.
The short answer is no, a tooth that needs a root canal cannot heal itself. The long answer is fairly straightforward. The infected tissue inside a tooth cannot heal by itself and will only get worse over time if left untreated. Even if you experience no pain, you should still seek treatment.
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.
Your dentist may recommend a root canal when your tooth shows signs of infection or significant pulpal nerve damage. When a tooth is cracked or has a significant cavity, bacteria is able to enter the pulp, and if left untreated, can lead to serious infection, bone loss, or the loss of the tooth itself.
Are Antibiotics a Viable Alternative to Root Canal Therapy? In some cases, a tooth infection will react well to antibiotics and make root canal therapy redundant. However, in other cases, taking antibiotics will only delay the inevitable, and the patient will have to opt for a root canal treatment in the future.
If the infection has seeped into the tooth's pulp, then root canal therapy becomes unavoidable. On the contrary, fillings can be used instead of a root canal if the tooth has a smaller cavity or a minor decay, which has not yet reached the pulp.
Delaying a root canal procedure can cause even more discomfort down the line as the infection is likely to spread. Leaving an infected root canal system untreated can result in an abscessed tooth, the pain of which can be incapacitating—and complications that can be serious, even life-threatening.
A root canal procedure is recommended and performed only when there is an oral health need and other procedures cannot fix the problem. Not having this suggested dental procedure done can lead to more advanced problems.
If you wait to have a root canal, you're only providing that infection more time to gain strength and spread. Infection can spread from the tooth into the bloodstream, and then you have a much more serious issue than a common and routine dental practice.
For most patients, root canal recovery only takes a few days. You'll probably experience some mild soreness for the first 24 to 48 hours after your procedure, but taking over-the-counter pain medication or applying a cold compress should be enough to manage it.
Standard root canal treatments usually require two visits or more to be completed. In the case of two appointments, you can expect the first session to include creating an opening in the crown to provide access to the root canal and later cleaning and disinfecting the canal to get rid of the infected tissue.
The Consequences of Avoiding a Root Canal
If the infection is concerning and left untreated it can cause you to lose your tooth or part of your jaw or even lead to dental abscesses or a life-threatening stroke, sepsis, or heart attack. As the infection progresses so will the pain which will be excruciating.
How many visits does it take for Root Canal Treatment? You can expect two or three visits for an endodontic treatment, better known as a root canal. Your first appointment works on fixing the pain you probably have, and that shouldn't take too long. Once that's settled, your next appointments will treat the root canal.
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.