How do I know if I Need a Root Canal?

By Mina Levi, DDS, 03/12/2015

Tooth pain is something that almost everyone will experience in their lifetime, whether it’s caused from dental decay, gum problems, trauma or another cause. Sometimes this tooth pain can mean that you need a root canal, which is the removal of the root or nerve of the tooth by an endodontist. In order to know when this is the case, Dentist San Francisco Mina Levi, DDS discusses four signs and reasons that you may need a root canal.

1. Sharp, throbbing pain. Sharp, unbearable or throbbing pain coming from a tooth that is enough to wake you up at night is a definite sign that you need to have a root canal done. If you have just had a dental procedure, and your pain is more of an ache (even if it is a high level ache), this is not necessarily a sign of root canal necessity. An achey pain is usually a reaction of the tooth to having been worked on, the gums responding to the area where the anesthetic was administered, or the bite needs to be adjusted. Do not panic if you are having this type of pain. Even if you are having throbbing or sharp pain, do not panic, simply call your San Francisco Dentist for an appointment to confirm that there is a need for a root canal and they will refer you to an endodontist.

2. Discolored tooth. A discolored tooth usually occurs when the tooth has experienced some sort of trauma and the tooth or nerve has died. In this case when the nerve is dead, it needs to be removed from the tooth immediately via root canal and the tooth will need to be restored with a crown. If the dead nerve remains in the tooth, the tooth will become brittle and will easily break. A severely broken tooth will need to be extracted and replaced with a denture, bridge or implant, which is a whole new set of procedures.

3. Tooth abscess. An abscessed tooth occurs when there is an infection in the root or nerve of the tooth. This infection, when not taken care of, will cause the tooth to die. A root canal will need to be performed in order to save the tooth. If the infection progresses, many complications can arise including the loss of the tooth.

4. Deep dental decay. When dental decay progresses deeply into the tooth, it can expose the nerve of the tooth and cause incredible pain and infection. In order to avoid this and avoid the need for a root canal, visit your San Francisco Dentist regularly for exams so that dental decay can be caught and treated before it progresses to the nerve of the tooth.

 

If you have questions regarding root canals, the process of a root canal, or if you are experiencing pain you believe needs to be treated with a root canal, visit Dentist San Francisco Mina Levi, DDS on the web at www.minalevidds.com or give us a call at (415) 513-5066

 

Topics: Dentist San Francisco, root canal, root canal San Francisco, endodontist San Francisco, endodontics San Francisco, nerve pain, tooth pain, tooth throbbing, throbbing pain, sharp pain, sharp tooth pain, throbbing tooth pain, severe tooth pain, severe pain, dental decay, root infection, tooth infection, tooth abscess, discolored tooth, deep dental decay, nerve pain

Why Would My Tooth Hurt After a Root Canal?

Why Would My Tooth Hurt After a Root Canal?

By Mina Levi, DDS, 01/08/2015

At the San Francisco dental office of Mina Levi, DDS, we refer a number of patients to endodontists if there is nerve pain that requires a root canal. After a root canal, the root is gone; so many people think that there should be absolutely no pain after a root canal, which sometimes is not the case. In this article, Dentist San Francisco Mina Levi, DDS explains what a root canal is and why someone may have pain after a root canal is performed.

What is a root canal?

Inside of a tooth, under the white enamel part and under the next  hard layer called dentin, there is a soft tissue which is the pulp of the tooth. The pulp contains blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue. In a fully developed tooth, the tooth can survive without the pulp because the tooth continues to be nourished by the tissues surrounding it. When the pulp becomes infected or inflamed, caused by deep decay, repeated dental procedures, faulty crowns, crack in the tooth, etc, then endodontic treatment may be necessary to remove it. If the pulp infection is left untreated, it can cause pain or lead to an abscess. This pain is a sign that the dentist uses to decide if the tooth will need a root canal or not.

A root canal removes the infected pulp and the inside of the tooth is cleaned out and disinfected, then filled and sealed with a rubbery material. After this, the tooth is restored with a crown or filling for protection. After the tooth is restored, the tooth continues to function like it did before.

What would cause pain after a root canal?

There are a number of possible causes of pain after the completion of a root canal. After a root canal is completed no living pulp tissue remains inside the tooth, but nerve endings remain in the ligaments that attach the tooth to the surrounding bone. These ligaments have nerve fiber associated with them that can feel pain.

Another cause could be inflammation of the periapical tissues post root canal. This inflammation may be due to extruded sealer or “over instrumentation” during the endodontic procedure. Sometimes the root canal files go past the apical terminus and can either inject some debris periapically or just damage the ligaments. This inflammation usually resolves by itself given enough time.

Another source of post root canal discomfort is a high bite and this can easily be corrected by a dentist. If a patient bites down, with no food in their mouth and their root canalled tooth hurts, then the bite should be adjusted.

Other possible causes of pain are a persistent infection or a root fracture. If a root canal is completed, but an infection still is present around the periapical area then a retreatment may be indicated especially if significant time has gone by without a resolution of the infection.

If you have tooth pain or think you require a root canal, or if you are having post-root canal pain, visit Dentist San Francisco Mina Levi, DDS on the web at www.minalevidds.com or give us a call at (415) 513-5066.

Topics: San Francisco Dentist, root canal, root canal pain, root canal dentist, endodontics, endodontist, endodontic treatment, endo, pulp, dentin, enamel, tooth structure, inflammation, infection, pulp infection, root infection, pain, tooth pain, achy pain