An untreated root canal can not only result in bone loss and infection but can also result in an acute abscess. An abscess is the formation of pus on the infected tissue or the area of decay. Some of the symptoms of an acute abscess include unbearable pain, swelling and fever.
Your tooth will look and feel just like any other tooth and will last for years to come. Without an indicated root canal treatment, you risk further complications and potential tooth loss.
If you delay root canal treatment, the oral infection continues to get worse, and it can even lead to a very serious condition called septicemia — when the localized infection from your tooth spreads through your body. This can quickly become a dangerous health situation that you want to avoid at all costs.
You must undergo a root canal within a few weeks to fully eliminate the infection and save your tooth.
Dental treatment alternatives to a root canal include direct pulp capping, pulpotomy, pulpectomy, endodontic retreatment, endodontic surgery, tooth extraction, dental implants, bridges, or dentures.
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.
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.
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.
A Root Canal Counts As An Emergency Dental Treatment
A root canal is typically considered to fall under the umbrella of emergency dentistry. Tooth infections are extremely painful and uncomfortable, and they can cause serious complications if they are left untreated, including the death of the infected tooth.
In most cases, root canal therapy is a better way to treat an infected tooth than an extraction. However, there are exceptions, such as if the tooth has suffered extreme damage. Your dentist will carefully analyze your oral health before making a treatment recommendation.
A dead tooth can stay in your mouth for up to several days or months; however, keeping a dead tooth may lead to problems with your jaw and also result in the spreading of decay and bacteria to other teeth. Most dentists will recommend having the dead tooth extracted and replaced with a denture, bridge, or implant.
Root canal treatments can vary in cost mainly due to insurance and location of the infected tooth. In general the further back in your mouth the more difficult the RCT and the more expensive. Root canal costs can be anywhere from $300 to $900 (or more if you see an endodontist).
Many people avoid having root canals due to rumors that the procedure will be painful or out of fear of complications from the procedure. Root canal treatments may have been painful decades ago but with modern dental technology and anesthetics, the procedure is only about as painful as having a filling placed.
This opens in a new window. A properly done root canal can last a lifetime. Again, it is dependent on the patient getting the tooth properly restored after the root canal. Many times, people have the root canal done and, once they are not in pain anymore, they do not have the tooth restored.
The average root canal treatment is 30 to 60 minutes long. More complex cases may take around 90 minutes. A root canal typically requires one or two appointments to complete.
Is a root canal painful? 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.
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. Bacteria can also lead to foul-tasting drainage along the gum tissue near your root.
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.
If tapping lightly on the tooth causes acute pain, this is usually a sign of local infection. Infections can often be treated with the simple use of antibiotics, but, in severe cases, an abscess may develop in the gums, teeth or bone of the jaw that may require surgical drainage.
The only alternative to a root canal treatment is to remove (extract) the tooth from the mouth.
When cavities reach your pulp, you may feel pain. You may also start to notice redness and swelling in the gums around your tooth. The spots on your tooth may turn darker brown or black. Abscessed tooth: Left untreated, a deep cavity can cause infection.
If the filling is too close to the nerve, it may get infected slowly. Dentists can't predict the time frame for the tooth to become infected. If infected, you may experience a throbbing pain or a dental abscess.
What is the Root Canal Cost? In Australia, the root canal cost starts from $950 on average. However, the cost of your treatment will depend on several factors. During your initial appointment, your dentist will give you an estimate and go through the costs of your treatment.