If you are wondering "My tooth hurts, do I need a root canal?", the answer is – not necessarily. We know that your tooth could hurt for several reasons, including:
- Food is stuck in between your teeth or in between the ridges on the chewing surfaces of your teeth
- You could have a cavity
- Your tooth could have been chipped or cracked
- You may be suffering from enamel erosion
In these scenarios, we can treat the problem without needing to perform a root canal. For example, we can clean your teeth and remove any food particles causing discomfort. If you have a cavity, we can remove the decay and place a filling at our family dentist’s office. This is done quickly and is far less invasive than a root canal.
Similarly, if your tooth is chipped or cracked, we can restore it using dental bonding or dental veneers. If you are dealing with erosion, you may need dental crowns to protect your teeth. We also restore teeth on a daily basis and have several ways of doing so.
Other Factors You Need to Consider
However, there are many times when a root canal is the right treatment option, so to answer the question "My tooth hurts, do I need a root canal?", we must also look at the surrounding circumstances.
How Long Has Your Tooth Been Hurting?
When you visit our dental office in Santa Clara, CA, we need to know how long you have been dealing with this issue and whether the pain came on suddenly or if it has built up over time. This will help us in determining what the source of the discomfort is and what our treatment plan needs to be.
What level of pain are you in?
At Well Being Dentistry, we regularly ask patients about their pain and whether or not it is manageable. If it is only slight discomfort, you may be able to visit our Santa Clara dental practice and have tooth decay removed. In many cases, a toothache is caused by a cavity that can be treated without the need for a root canal. However, we find that intense pain can often be due to an infection severe enough to warrant a root canal.
Check out what others are saying about our root canal support services on Yelp: Do I Need a Root Canal
The Process of Performing a Root Canal
When patients call us asking "My tooth hurts, do I need a root canal?", the second question they normally ask is what the process will be like. At Well Being Dentistry, we will answer any questions you may have during your examination and consultation.
We can complete a root canal in a way that is as comfortable as possible. The reality is that a root canal does not have to hurt. In fact, by using sedation, we can help you feel calm and relaxed to the point that most of our patients say they feel much better after the treatment than they did before the treatment.
The root canal removes the infection, which is the cause of the initial discomfort, to relieve the pain. When looking for a "dentist near me" to perform a root canal, be sure to visit one who offers sedation.
When performing a root canal at our family dental office, we do the following:
- Clean the tooth
- Numb the area
- Create a small hole in the tooth
- Remove the infected portion
- Clean the interior of the tooth
- Seal it with a rubbery substance
- Restore the tooth using a filling or crown
We can treat your damaged or infected tooth, along with improving the appearance of your smile. We do so by offering additional solutions like teeth whitening, dental veneers, dental implants, dental crowns, and bridges. To schedule a tooth examination or to learn more about the root canal procedure, call (408) 244-0590.
Questions Answered on This Page
Q. How do I know if I need a root canal?
Q. What is the root canal process like?
People Also Ask
Definition of Endodontic Terminology
- Cementum
- Cementum is the bone-like tissue that forms the outer surface of the root of the tooth.
- Dental Pulp
- The dental pulp is the innermost layer of the tooth with connective tissue that contains blood vessels and nerve tissue.
- Dentin
- The dentin is the inner layer of the tooth structure that is immediately under the enamel and surrounds the dental pulp.
- Direct Pulp Cap
- A direct pulp cap is a procedure by which a dentist treats exposed pulp with a therapeutic material to help the tooth heal.
- Enamel
- The enamel is the hard calcified layer that covers the entire tooth.
- Endodontist
- An endodontist is a specialist who focuses on treating issues, diseases, and conditions that affect the innermost layer of the tooth, the dental pulp.
- Pulpectomy
- A pulpectomy is a procedure that involves the complete removal of pulp tissue from the root canal in a tooth.
- Pulpitis
- Pulpitis is a term used to describe the inflammation of the dental pulp due to an injury or infection.
- Pulpotomy
- A pulpotomy is a procedure involving the removal of a portion of diseased or infected pulp in order to protect the healthy portions of the pulp.