When do I have to be treated with a root canal treatment?!
Question:
When do I have to be treated with a root canal treatment?
I'm having a terrible toothache from time to time, and doctor says it would be the best to be treated to this special treatment. However, I've read this is the last step to save the tooth instead of making an extraction, and is used when there are any other things to do. But, pain has decreeased a lot these last weeks, I don't know why, it happened curiously after I found a lot of information about my problem. I would appreciate a lot any comment or suggestion.
Thanks
Answers:
Two possibilities:
1 - your tooth might have been traumatized or irritated in some minor way, which caused temporary inflammation in the nerve inside the tooth ("reversible pulpitis"), which is healable. If that's the case, X-rays would show nothing, pulp vitality tests would return normal responses, and nothing needs to be done to the tooth.
2 - your tooth might have irreversible damage to the pulp due to trauma, cavities, or other causes ("irreversible pulpitis"), and the nerve inside the tooth was dying. While it was dying, it would hurt a lot. When the nerve inside the tooth has completely died, the pain stops. But the problem does not end there-- The dead tissue inside the tooth might cause an abscess to develop at the root tip region in your jawbone, and that is bad. Such a situation would still need root canal therapy or extraction even if you no longer feel pain. Consult a dental professional for an evaluation and to discuss your options.
Hope this helps.