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More than 15 million root canal treatments (RCTs) are performed every year in the United States, helping patients save badly damaged teeth and avoid extraction and tooth loss.
However, even though RCTs are common, many people don’t know the signs that might indicate they need treatment. Knowing these signs can help you receive treatment as soon as possible before deeper, more widespread infection occurs.
At Volterra Dental, Richard Blackburn, DMD, MA, offers state-of-the-art root canal treatment to help patients relieve painful symptoms, improve oral health, and maintain beautiful smiles. Here are five signs that could mean you need root canal therapy.
1. Tooth pain or sensitivity
Root canals are an ideal solution for teeth that have been badly damaged by decay or infection deep in the central portion of the tooth. This part of the tooth—called the pulp—is also where the tooth nerves are located.
Not surprisingly, when the pulp is decayed, infected, or damaged by trauma, the nerves become irritated, too. The result is throbbing, persistent tooth pain that tends to be worse when you bite, chew, or put pressure on the tooth.
Likewise, deep pulp damage exposes those sensitive nerves to external irritants, including hot and cold temperatures from foods, drinks, or even the ambient air. Heightened tooth sensitivity can be another sign of internal tooth damage that requires root canal therapy.
2. Swollen or tender gums
Swollen gums are often associated with another oral health problem — gum disease. But they can also be caused by deep decay and infection in the tooth pulp or canals, narrow tunnels extending from the tooth's center to the tooth root.
Nerves in the tooth pulp extend into the tissues supporting your teeth. When a tooth is badly damaged, it can cause tenderness and swelling in the gum tissue. You may notice pus discharge, as well.
3. Change in tooth color
Once tooth decay reaches the interior pulp, it damages it and eventually causes it to die, a condition called pulp necrosis. As the pulp breaks down, it releases substances that cause the tooth material to darken, making the tooth look grayish or brownish.
This type of staining can’t be corrected with tooth whitening treatments. Root canal therapy removes dead and damaged pulp and seals the canals to prevent further problems. The tooth is then covered by a crown tinted to match the neighboring teeth, restoring your beautiful smile.
4. Bump or “pimple” on your gum
Sometimes, deep infections inside a tooth trigger deeper infections called abscesses. An abscess is a pocket of pus, dead blood cells, and other debris formed during infection.
An abscess looks like a pimple on your gum. It tends to be quite sore when touched, and without prompt treatment, the germs it contains can infect your jawbone or even spread to other areas through your bloodstream.
5. Cracked or fractured tooth
While many people have pulp damage due to decay, tooth trauma is another possible cause of internal tooth damage that requires a root canal. Even tiny cracks or fissures are wide enough for bacteria to pass through, exposing teeth to infection and decay.
Some cracks are large enough to cause tooth pain right away, while smaller cracks may not cause symptoms for some time, allowing them to go unnoticed. If you have any type of mouth or facial trauma, it’s important to have your teeth checked by our team so we can prevent more severe problems from developing.
Regular checkups help prevent root canals
Root canal therapy is a safe, effective, proven way to repair and restore teeth with deep or severe damage, but ideally, you’d like to avoid the need for a root canal in the first place. In addition to good home care, regular checkups play an essential role by enabling our team to identify and correct problems early before a root canal is necessary.
If you have any of the symptoms listed above or if you’re due for a checkup and cleaning, request an appointment online or over the phone with Dr. Blackburn and the team at Volterra Dental in Los Alamitos, California, today.