Do I Need a Root Canal If My Tooth Stops Hurting?

Imagine having intense tooth pain only for it to disappear instantly. What does this mean? Maybe you don’t have to wonder, and this is your reality. Is this something serious or does no more pain mean all is well? Dental pain occurs because your body is trying to alert you that something is wrong. Keep reading to learn from your dentist in Wylie about why root canal therapy may be necessary.

Damaged Dental Nerve

If you are dealing with dental pain that directly results from you eating or drinking items that are hot or cold, the nerve in your tooth is potentially dead or dying. Pain from a dying nerve can come and go or be constant, plus the intensity can range from mild to severe. If the pain completely vanishes for good, your dental nerve may potentially have died.

Left untreated, bacteria can compromise nearby teeth or even your jawbone. A root canal enables your dentist to save your tooth by only removing the infected portion. Otherwise, extraction is the only way to preserve your health.

Damaged or Decayed Filling

Holes in a compromised filling can make your dental nerve sensitive to hot or cold foods and beverages, or even the air when you speak or breathe. More significant to your oral health, it offers bacteria and germs the opportunity to infect your dental pulp, gums, and even adjacent teeth. Root canal therapy can save the dental nerve from being damaged and preserve the structure of the tooth.

Dental Infection

Dental infections are not always visible. You can see an abscess when it appears on the gums near an infected tooth, but it can happen more subtly at the tooth root. If you experience pain due to an abscess out of view, the pain sensation may stop while the infection reaches your bloodstream.

The danger here is that it could potentially flow anywhere in your body, even to your heart or brain, to cause more damage. In cases like these, your dentist urgently needs to perform a root canal to remove the infected pulp from your tooth and prevent the spread of bacteria.

On the surface, it seems logical that a toothache subsiding is always a good sign, but that is not the case. When you have pain, minor or intense, it is worth notifying your dentist in Wylie. When the situation calls for it, a root canal can save your tooth and your health in general!

About the Author

Dr. Roger Morton has been working for the smiles of patients for nearly 20 years now. He earned his dental doctorate from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. Dr. Morton is a member of the American Dental Association. If you are interested in root canal therapy, he offers multiple sedation options and financing is available. Schedule an appointment on his website, but if it’s an emergency, call (972) 442-5599.