Top 4 Signs You May Need
Root Canal Treatment

Some people ignore it when their tooth hurts or if pain seems to radiate from deep within the tooth or jaw. But if such pain persists for more than a week or so, it’s a sign to visit your Glen Waverley dentist right away, because you need treatment, perhaps even a root canal, to solve your pain.

At EK Dental Surgery, we are experts in diagnosing tooth and nerve problems, and among our treatments, root canal can be most effective as the last treatment to save a damaged tooth.

Why Might I Need a Root Canal?

One of the most common causes of tooth decay is infected dental pulp, which often requires root canal treatment to remove the infection.

But how is it determined that you need root canal treatment, or that the problem is something else? If you haven’t visited the dentist yet, there are some signs/symptoms you can look for on your own. On the other hand, there are some symptoms that only your dentist can determine.

Noticeable Root Canal Treatment Symptoms

Signs that you may notice and experience:

• Pain – the intensity of the tooth pain caused by infected pulp can go from slight to extreme. Sometimes, you may feel that the infected tooth is pulsing in rhythm to your own heartbeat. It can also be easily provoked by exposure to hot or cold foods. Your sleep may be affected by the intense pain. The pain may also linger for some minutes or last for several hours.
• Tender or swollen gums – swelling of gums can occur sometimes on an infected tooth. The area may be slightly tender or form a noticeable lump, which can be actually felt. The tooth may also feel rather elevated due to swelling. Instead of a prominent swelling, a gumboil may form on the gums.
• Persistent gum pimples – pimple-like gum lesions are mostly caused by an infection inside a tooth. These lesions are called “lesions fistulous tracts” in dental term. Over time, their size can increase and decrease. Gum lesions served as drain for pus; thus, they often have disgusting taste coming from them.
• Frequency of pain – the signs and symptoms mentioned above can be described as transient, persistent and continual. If the pain or swelling comes and goes on a daily or monthly basis, this is a transient symptom. When the symptoms never completely fade, they are persistent or continual.

Signs that only your dentist can determine:

• Issues discovered by X-ray – if your tooth is infected, X-rays will show a dark spot located at the tip of the roots of the tooth. This indication is called radiolucency, which means that changes have occurred caused by the infection developing inside the tooth.
• Persistent gum pimples – (See above) Sometimes these pimples are so subtle and small that only a dentist can identify them.
• Darkened teeth – if a tooth has unexpected changes in colour, turning slightly darker than healthy teeth, it indicates there may be a problem in its nerve space. These kinds of discolourations are one of the main reasons your dentist might decide to perform root canal treatment.
• Exposed tooth nerve – losing dental work such as a filling or a crown, can result in exposed tooth nerve. You may feel an intense pain when air and hot or cold substances reach the uncovered part of the tooth.

Pain and Root Canal Treatment

The purpose of root canal treatment is to remove the infection thereby eliminating the pain. The procedure involves removal of infected nerve and pulp tissue of the affected tooth. Many dental patients dread root canal treatment as it has received a misleading reputation for pain.

The pain during and following the treatment is far less than suffered by leaving the affected tooth and infection untreated. With the latest technology in dentistry, however, EK Dental is able to perform root canal treatment virtually pain-free.

Reliable Root Canal Treatment at EK Dental Surgery in Glen Waverley

At EK Dental Surgery, we wash the invasive bacteria out of the root, fill the resulting gap with a biocompatible material that soothes the area, and then we seal the tooth up. Finally, we cap the tooth with a filling or crown, and send you away with a newly functional and pain-free tooth! That means your tooth does not need to be extracted, saving you expense, time, and inconvenience. For more information about how we can help you with your root canal problems, give us a call at EK Dental Surgery, today!

EK Dental Surgery offers a wide range of preventative and cosmetic dental procedures that will help you achieve the smile of your dreams!

Our Special Offers

At EK Dental Surgery, our goal is to make quality dental care affordable. We encourage you to take advantage of our latest offers. To discover more, visit our special offers page today!

Book your appointment online or call us on (03) 9887 8787.