How Can You Tell Your Tooth Needs a Root Canal?

Only your dentist can make the final determination that your tooth requires root canal treatment.

And when making this judgment, we must not only establish that it seems the right solution for the symptoms you display but also that the overall condition of your tooth warrants the time and expense required.

In general, however, during our evaluation of you and your tooth, we will look for the following indications:

-Symptoms you may notice on your own are usually the presence of pain and/or swelling that signals to a person that their tooth required a root canal.

Signs only your dentist may notice which some teeth give little indication that there’s a problem within their nerve space.  These cases are often discovered, unexpectedly, during routine dental examinations.

If root canal therapy is needed, there’s not a lot you can do on your own to relieve your symptoms.

Signs and symptoms that may indicate that root canal treatment is needed are as follows: gum tenderness or swelling in the area near the tooth.  A pimple-like drain for pus may form on your gums or swelling can range from very slight to quite pronounce that may even extend into your face or neck.  There are different degrees of pain from mild to extreme which may include throbbing, biting pressure, or pain to hot foods and/or beverages.