Commons Signs That You WILL Need Root Canal Therapy:
- You have moderate to severe lingering ``toothache" pain when drinking hot liquids or eating hot foods. This pain may also be caused with cold liquids or foods.
- You have pain when chewing or biting on a tooth that may also be sensitive to touch or manipulation and may be associated with slight swelling.
- Your toothache pain wakes you up at night and you most likely feel the need to take some form of pain medication to relieve your suffering.
- You have a bubble on your gum that looks like a pimple and when pressed in the region may release blood or pus (sinus tract or fistula)
- You have pain that starts at one tooth and then radiates or is referred to other regions of your upper or lower jaw, or head. A common example is a lower molar (back tooth) causing pain that refers to your ear on the same side so as to simulate an ear ache.
Symptoms That Indicate That You DO NOT Need Root Canal Therapy:
- You have pain when you chew and/or drink hot or cold liquids. The pain is mild in nature and not prolonged.
- Many times this pain is felt after a recent dental procedure such as a filling or a crown. A rule of thumb is that if the pain does not subside within a 6 week period of time or becomes increasingly severe, then a root canal will be required.
- You have pain when you drink cold liquids, but the pain goes away immediately or within a few seconds.
- This is a normal response and may exist throughout your life.
- You have pain when you eat sweets, but the pain doesn't last very long.
- You probably have a cavity, loose/broken filling or areas of the root surface that are exposed (receeded gums). Root canal therapy in this case would only be indicated if the decay is deep and touches the nerve (pulpal tissue).
- You have swelling on the gum area around the tooth. The tooth may be sensitive to touch however there is no pain when drinking hot or cold liquids. The pain may be severe but when you brush or poke around the area the pain is relieved.
- This type of pain is usually indicative of a periodontal abcess not a root canal problem. Often the endodontist or dentist will take a radiograph (x-ray) of the area and perform a series of tests to see if the tooth's pulpul tissue is responding normally or not. A normal response (no pain from the pulpul tissue) means the problem is most probably periodontal and not endodontic in nature.
- You have pain in a group of teeth, non-specific in nature and usually agrravated while walking downstairs or jumping.
- This type of pain is usually reflective of sinusitus and root canal is not required.
- You have momentary pain to cold air.You have momentary pain to cold air.
- Because the pain is only momentary, it is still within normal limits -- however watch that the situation does not worsen.
- You experience sharp pain when biting down on a tooth usually in a specific way.
- You may have a cracked tooth, which may or may not end up with root canal but will require a full crown restoration to prevent the fracture from increasing in size.
- You have electric type pain -- sharp and shooting, similar to that of chewing on tin foil.
- This is galvanic pain. It is typically related to metal fillings in your mouth. If it becomes a consistent problem, see your dentist and you may consider having your filling changed to a non-metal filling.
Brian P Trava DMD, SuJean Oh DDS and Alison Petix DMD: Endodontists - Providing services in endodontics and root canal dentistry to the areas of North Jersey (NJ).
Paterson NJ Endodontics
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