Patient Education

Do I Need a Root Canal?

Patient smiling after getting treatment for a root canal in Kendall, FL.

At TrueSmiles, patients ask, “my tooth hurts, do I need a root canal?” Toothaches can be terribly inconvenient. They make it difficult to eat, speak, or even function. As a family dentist in Miami, FL, we realize that a common toothache is something most people can live with until it suddenly turns a corner and becomes unbearable.

The key is to visit our dental office at that initial stage before you reach the point of severe discomfort. This will give you the largest amount of options for how to treat the problem. To schedule an appointment with our family dental office, call 786-733-6209

How do I know if I need a Root Canal?

  • Food is stuck in between your teeth or in between the ridges on the chewing surfaces of your teeth.
  • You could have a cavity.
  • Your tooth could have been chipped or cracked.
  • You may be suffering from enamel erosion.

In these scenarios, we will treat the problem without needing to perform a root canal. For example, we will clean your teeth and remove any food particles causing discomfort. If you have a cavity, we will remove the decay and place a filling at our family dentist office. This is done quickly and is far less invasive than a root canal. Simultaneously, if your tooth is chipped or cracked, we will restore it using dental bonding or dental veneers. If you are dealing with erosion, you may need dental crowns to protect your teeth. We also restore teeth on a daily basis and have several ways of doing so.

How long has your tooth been hurting?

When you visit our dental office in Miami, FL, we need to know how long you have been dealing with this issue and whether the pain came on suddenly or if it has built up over time. This will help us in determining what the source of the discomfort is and what our treatment plan needs to be.

What level of pain are you in?

At TrueSmiles we regularly ask patients about their pain and whether or not it is manageable. If it is only slight discomfort, you may be able to visit our Miami dentist practice and have tooth decay removed. In many cases, a toothache is caused by a cavity that can be treated without the need for a root canal. However, we find that intense pain can often be due to an infection severe enough to warrant a root canal.

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