A root canal treatment is all about getting rid of the infection from a tooth. Serving as an alternative to tooth extraction, root canal procedure involves the removal of the infected pulp of the tooth while preserving the nerves.
While a root canal is a common procedure, finding out whether you need it or not is something you must find out carefully.
Let us try to find out.
Do you need a root canal (RCT)?
To answer – Do I need a root canal? You will have to take a look at the symptoms of the root canal. Let us do so:
- Pain – Facing pain persistently is one of the biggest signifiers of a root canal. If a certain tooth in your mouth has been hurting for a while, then getting screened for a root canal might be a good start.
- Sensitive tooth – Sensitive tooth might also hint at a root canal. You may experience an ache in your teeth upon eating or drinking hot and cold food items.
- Swollen gums – The answer to do I need a root canal is yes if you have swelling in the gums. This symptom combined with pain in the tooth is a certain call for root canal treatment.
Once you take a look at the symptoms above, your answer to – do I need a root canal would come to you naturally.
How do I know if I need a root canal?: Understanding if a root canal hurts
If you are done asking yourself – How do I know if I need a root canal? Then you can go ahead with understanding the pain involved in the procedure. When you develop an infection in teeth that certainly hurts, but to know whether a root canal hurts or not. Let us try to understand the procedure.
- The answer to how does I know if I need a root canal can be obtained by looking at the pain involved with the infection. Once you get an infected tooth pulp, you experience pain.
- The pain of infection is likely the only pain you would encounter in a root canal because the procedure itself is free of any pain. This is because the dentist administers anesthesia before he begins the procedure.
- The pain after the anesthesia wears off is also not very high. You can go back to your normal life within one day of a root canal.
- If the pain after a root canal procedure persists for many days then you need to revisit your dentist to see what is wrong.
While looking at symptoms yields the answer to – how do I know if I need a root canal? Taking a deep look at the procedural pain can help you make the final call for the root canal.
Signs that you need a root canal: The pros and cons
Once you understand the signs that you need a root canal, you can go ahead and look at the pros and cons before you book your appointment.
Pros
- A root canal helps you get rid of the root canal pain.
- With the help of a root canal, the bone around your tooth stays in a good condition.
- No tooth extraction is needed with a root canal.
- You need not spend money on an implant.
- An early root canal ensures your oral health. Ignoring the signs that you need a root canal, may cause you to develop a higher degree of infection.
Cons
- Root canal procedure requires you to keep your mouth open for the entire period.
- You may face a follow-up infection but the chances of this are low.
After the signs that you need a root canal hint you to schedule your appointment, it is best that you do not delay the process and get treated as soon as possible.
