A root canal treats a tooth whose inner pulp is inflamed or infected. You may not need one. These five signs mean you should be examined, not diagnosed from a webpage.
1. Pain that lingers after hot or cold
Brief sensitivity to ice cream is common. Pain that stays for minutes after the stimulus is gone is more worrying. It can mean the nerve is inflamed.
2. Throbbing pain, especially at night
A pulse in one tooth, worse when you lie down, is a classic pulpitis pattern. Pain on biting can mean the ligament around the root is involved too.
3. Swelling of gum or face
A pimple on the gum near a tooth, or facial swelling, can be an abscess. That is an urgent visit. Call +91 76659 44555 or +91 92512 07055.
4. A tooth that has gone dark
After a knock, a tooth can grey as the pulp dies. It may not hurt. It still needs assessment, X-rays, and a plan.
5. A deep cavity or cracked tooth
Decay or a crack that reaches the pulp often needs root canal treatment or extraction. I will show you the radiograph and explain both options.
Emergency: Difficulty swallowing, spreading facial swelling, or fever with a dental infection needs same-day care, not a wait-and-see approach.
What happens at the clinic
I test vitality, take digital X-rays, and decide if we can save the tooth. If we treat it, the canals are cleaned, filled, and usually restored with a crown so the tooth does not split later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is a root canal always painful?
A: The infected tooth is what hurts. Treatment is done with local anaesthesia. Most people say the relief after drainage and cleaning is greater than the procedure itself.
Q: Can antibiotics replace a root canal?
A: Antibiotics may calm swelling. They do not remove infected tissue inside the tooth. The canal still needs cleaning if the pulp is dead or dying.
Q: What if I wait?
A: Infection can spread to bone and face. The tooth can become unrestorable. Call sooner rather than later if pain wakes you at night.
Questions about your own teeth need an exam. Book at Bhardwaj Dental Centre, Civil Lines, Jaipur, on +91 76659 44555.