Possible Signs and Symptoms of a Root Canal

Dental Studio 4 Kids • February 11, 2020

Getting a root canal is a big decision. How do you know if you need a root canal? Read on to discover the signs and symptoms of a root canal here.

Making sure your children's teeth are brushed each day and as healthy as possible can sometimes be a task all of its own. Scheduling routine visits with your child's pediatric dentist is the first step in ensuring the proper health of your children's teeth. At times, however, there are dental problems that are beyond your control.

When a tooth is cracked or chipped, it can become infected and begin to grow an abscess. The way to correct this issue is to have root canal treatment, but do you know the symptoms of a root canal? Are you wondering, "what's a root canal?"

It's essential to have this treatment done quickly, so you'll need to know what signs to look out for.

The choice to have a root canal done is one that can be discussed between you and your children's pediatric dentist as long as you know when it's time to schedule that appointment.

Continue reading below to discover all the answers.

What's a Root Canal?

If you find yourself wondering, "what's a root canal," then you'll need to understand a few things first. Pulp, a soft tissue located inside your teeth, is what contains the following:

your teeth's nerves
the teeth's tissue,
and blood vessels

All of these aspects are necessary for a tooth to grow into its healthy adult form. When a tooth is finished growing, the pulp remains but is no longer necessary to keep the tooth alive and healthy. The surrounding tissue will take over this role.

So, what's a root canal?

A root canal is when the pulp becomes infected and the dentist then removes the infected pulp, cleans out the infection, disinfects the tooth, and then fills the tooth and seals it.

The root canal treatment will eliminate any root canal pain the patient was once feeling and will ultimately save the tooth as well.

Root Canal Treatment Advances

Root canals have a stigma attached to them that they're painful and one of the least desired dental treatments. Root canal treatment advances have put this stigma to rest, however.

Endodontic Treatment Advances

The use of nickel-titanium dental instruments- improved flexibility, improved shaping of root canal systems, and a decrease in procedural errors
Enhanced visualization- increases the visibility of small details, helps in removing the infected pulp
Cone-beam computed tomography- allows a visual of the 3rd dimension, enhanced ability to diagnose and treat and infected tooth

Today, modern root canal treatments are quite similar to having a tooth filled, which is a simple and nearly painless treatment to receive. Although everyone's circumstances are different, and you'll have to take into account the severity of the infection and other factors, most root canals can be completed during one office visit.

In some cases, it may take two office visits to complete, but with modern technology, your root canal pain will be decreased.

Is a Root Canal Painful?

The number one question that root canal treatment patients want to know before having the treatment done is, "is a root canal painful," or, "what to expect from root canal pain." Everyone wants to know what to expect before having dental work done, including children.

Root canal pain is not much different than the pain you'd experience while having a tooth filled or pulled. Root canal pain is quite tolerable, but some patients can be given anesthesia to help cope with the root canal pain. The discomfort felt after the treatment is complete is the majority of the root canal pain you'll feel.

Discomfort can last a few days tops, as the area will be a bit sore.

Signs It's Time for a Root Canal

Not everyone needs a root canal, and tooth pain doesn't automatically mean it's time to get the treatment for one. Knowing the most popular root canal symptoms will help you determine if you need to contact the dentist about a possible root canal.

Root Canal Symptoms

Pain while eating or drinking
Throbbing pain in one specific tooth
A chipped or cracked tooth
Swollen gum around said tooth
Tooth sensitivity
Discoloration of said tooth

If these root canal symptoms sound familiar to you, then it's time to schedule an appointment with your pediatric dentist. Be sure to ask your children if they're experiencing any of these root canal symptoms.

Root Canal Aftercare

Once the treatment is complete, you need to take proper care of the treated tooth. There are a few dos and don'ts for a root canal aftercare.

The Dos

Avoid chewing on that side of the mouth until a crown is put in place
Select soft foods until the root canal treatment is finished or until there's no more discomfort
Brush and floss teeth gently
Follow all post-treatment care given to you by the dentist, including directions for medication

The Don'ts

Don't select hard foods or chew on the side of the mouth where the treated tooth is located
Don't brush or floss teeth with aggression
Don't ignore signs of possible complications
Don't hesitate to contact your dentist

Following all aftercare instructions given by the dentist is essential for a quick and proper recovery.

How Endodontic Treatment Saves Teeth

Without proper endodontic treatment or a root canal, a tooth can become so infected that the only way to treat it is extraction. If you're able to see the dentist and have a root canal treatment scheduled before it's too late, then you'll save your tooth from being pulled.

Endodontic treatment will consist of the following:

Removing all infected pulp within the tooth
Cleaning the tooth out and disinfecting it
Filling the tooth
Placing a crown on the tooth to protect the filling

Once complete, the tooth can then function as a normal tooth would. After the treatment is done, your tooth will also become pain-free.

Do You Have Symptoms of a Root Canal?

If your child's experiencing symptoms of a root canal, then you'll want to schedule an appointment as soon as you can. The quicker you have a problem tooth looked at, the quicker a treatment plan can be put in place.

Schedule an appointment today and Dental Studio 4 Kids will save the tooth!

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