Root canal question?

Today I went to the dentist and was told that I need a root canal. The reason why I have to have one is because I have a big cavity. This doesn't makes much sense to me. It only bothers me when I have something very cold to eat or drink. Aren't you usually in a lot of pain when a root canal is needed? I think all I need is a filling. What do you think?

Root canal question?
Did you pay attention to the X-ray? You may have decay that goes that deep. If you have serious doubts, and it sounds like you do, get a second opinion.
Reply:if the cavity is on the nerve then a filling will just make it worse....like shaking up a bottle of pop (soda) and putting the cap back on...many people in my office get root canals without any pain...hell most of em fall asleep during it.


root canals hurt mostly when the tooth is so abcessed that it can't get fully frozen the conventional way.....it needs a direct freeze.





good luck
Reply:As someone that knows about tooth problems. I think you need a root canal because if you just cover it with filling it will still decay over that point and just cover the problem. Eventually it will decay to the nerve and they will just have to give you a root canal or if too bad they will have to remove the tooth.
Reply:If the cavity is too close to the pulp chamber (or already touching it), the dentist will not be able to remove it completely without affecting the pulp chamber. When the dentist hits the pulp chamber, you WILL be in pain. Trust me, it's better to do the root canal before the filling.
Reply:GREETINGS, the cavity might be so deep it would hit the nerve or it's too close to the root of the tooth so the only way to fix it would probably be very painful and might wreck the tooth anyhow so he suggested root canal. Did you ask him why he feels you need one? You aren't always in pain with a bad tooth, I had a severely bad tooth last year didn't know it, never hurt only a sting when I had cold drinks but after awhile I got a lump in the roof of my mouth, the infection was so bad it traveled to the tissues in my mouth and then started further eating the jaw bone, that pain was unreal! I didn't have a clue thought the lump was a local infection, maybe I'd scratched something with sharp food like a potato chip. I would ask the DDS to explain it to you more extensively and just tell him that's alot of money for the canal, is it absolutely necessary? I had the root canal, infection didn't leave the area either so the tooth was pulled, still had infection and it's down to a core right now over a year later, I have to have surgery the end of July to dig out the core. If I were you and it came to a filling or canal, I would go for the canal cause what if they fill it and then it infects or hurts all the time? Better to be safe then sorry later.
Reply:I think you should listen to the professional...get the root canal.





Ask yourself this question: "Do I want to keep my tooth?"





Usually an infection is already present below the tooth...to cure the infection the dentist needs to drill into the tooth and scrape out the infected pulp tissue in the root canals...nerve tissue is removed too...YAY! No more pain!





If you wait too long, you could wind up with an abscess. An abscess is a pretty lil' pus filled blister next to the tooth...yummmm! Controlling the pain if ya got yourself one of those bad boys is a bit harder....Plus ya gotta take an antibiotic to clear up the infection...


Or ya might not be able to save the tooth at all...and then you'll need to have it pulled.





Good luck.
Reply:Whether or not you need a root canal, depends on how deep the cavity is, %26amp; whether it has reached the pulp or nerve as it can become easily infected, hence a root canal is needed.