How do I know if I need a root canal?

[Steve S]

I visited the dentist last week for a cleaning. He took X Rays and said that he detected a crack on a tooth and that I needed a root canal before it got impacted. He also wants me to do this before the new year, something about the insurance coverage. I feel absolutely no pain. Do I need to do this now or can I wait until I hurt?

[username n/a]

Assuming he went to school to be a dentist I think you should have a root canal in the near future.

[EagleMoon]

Trust me, you don't want to wait until you hurt. Been there, done that. Depending on where the crack is, you might need the tooth pulled if it gets bad or if the crack is lengthways in the tooth.

[FaceDown3000]

That's hard to tell without any diagnostics (most of all the clinical situation!). It depends on the crack's direction/length/location. If you wait the crack might even get bigger/the tooth split in two pieces and you might loose it. Root canal treatments may also lead to the loss of your tooth in the end. When one of the crack's ends is located below the level of your gingiva it's hard to save a tooth because it most likely will develope a parodontal problem along the crack (sooner or later).

In other words: Get a second opinion by a dentist in your area

[jonathan_matos5]

you know you need a root canal, when a dentist says so. feel free to seek a second opinion.

if you do not want a root canal you can have the tooth pulled for cheaper.

[bassteban]

When I turned 21, my parents' insurance no longer covered my teeth. I brushed real good, but after a couple-few years an old filling cracked, & pieces of filling & tooth fell out into my mouth. Pay close attention- did not hurt.
FF to one Christmas shopping season(maybe a year later), out w/my mom & wife(maybe GF at the time; this was many years ago)- drinking a mocha, the hot sugary liquid leeched up into that craked tooth & hit the nerve.


(I'm a tad bit religious & hate to use this phrase, but no other will do)


OMG


In-effing-describable pain, radiating from the tooth, making me actually shake uncontrollably. Being Saturday night, I was aware that I wouldn't see the dentist for a day or two. The best part was when the pain subsided(did NOT go away)to the point that I could unclench every muscle in my body & pass out for awhile. FF futher to the visit to the dentist; long story short, I was expecting him to say 'You need a root canal. Can you come in next Thursday?'
What he said was, 'You need a root canal- right now, & 4 more to follow.'
The actual procedures were nowhere NEAR as bad as I had expected, but the main lesson here is: GO TO THE DENTIST*. Even if it doesn't hurt.

*If your Dentist says you need a root canal, a second opinion might not be such a bad idea, but DO NOT WAIT UNTIL IT HURTS.

[Spector_Ray]

I used to be a dental assistant in the military and started my studies to become a dentist before I decided it wasn't the career for me so here goes.

A cracked tooth will eventually get worse with all the pounding they take. The crack may have exposed the dentin which is much softer than the enamel that covers your teeth and all those miniscule bacteria LOVE the dentin and will get into that crack and start wearing away at the tooth. In addition to that, your tooth will quickly become structurally unsound. Although you don't feel pain now, it's only a matter of time before it gets to the point where you will.

I would get this taken care of as soon as possible because right now, it's a relatively simple fix of a root canal and a crown. If it gets worse, you're looking at the root canal, buildup of the tooth, if it can be saved then a crown or possibly even the loss of the tooth.

It's always a good idea to get a second opinion. It's not offensive to dentists or doctors because you're looking out for mouth and checkbook. Besides, not all dentists finished at the top of their class!

[RWP]

Last year I spent $2000 getting one root canal and crown. If your insurance will cover it, do it NOW! If you wait it will only cost more or have you in pain or both.

[Webtroll]

Originally Posted by RWP

If your insurance will cover it, do it NOW! If you wait it will only cost more or have you in pain or both.

+1

[Stanley Design]

If you're in severe pain, go get one. A root canal is when they drill through the tooth and destroy any remnants of the nerve, and is because the nerve is infected. If you're not in any pain, your dentist is trying to make some money off you. I'm not sure what it means when a tooth becomes impacted, but when your wisdom teeth are "impacted" it just means that they haven't broken the skin so they can't be pulled and have to be cut out. I'm skeptical of your dentist......

[Muusers]

Originally Posted by Steve S

I visited the dentist last week for a cleaning. He took X Rays and said that he detected a crack on a tooth and that I needed a root canal before it got impacted. He also wants me to do this before the new year, something about the insurance coverage. I feel absolutely no pain. Do I need to do this now or can I wait until I hurt?

just listen to your dentist, it's not that hard

[iamlowsound]

Originally Posted by Todd Stanley

If you're in severe pain, go get one. A root canal is when they drill through the tooth and destroy any remnants of the nerve, and is because the nerve is infected. If you're not in any pain, your dentist is trying to make some money off you. I'm not sure what it means when a tooth becomes impacted, but when your wisdom teeth are "impacted" it just means that they haven't broken the skin so they can't be pulled and have to be cut out. I'm skeptical of your dentist......

You wisdom teeth are impacted when they are growing into the other teeth, commonly they do not break through when this happens.

Get it done.

lowsound

[bassteban]

If you(OP)decide to *wait until it hurts*, please let us know how it goes.

[theshadow2001]

If you've been told by a dentist that you need a root canal and subsequently you post the question "How do I know if I need a root canal" Then yes......yes, you should undoubtedly wait until it hurts

[newparade]

One thing that I don't think has been specifically mentioned here is that it's a pretty easy procedure. A root canal just always seems to be played up as the worst thing in the world. I had one done and it just wasn't bad at all. There was no more discomfort than getting a regular filling. Well, I take part of that back. The most uncomfortable part was trying to hold my mouth open for the duration.

I'm with everyone else...get it done as soon as possible.

[mrpackerguy]

I had a cracked tooth where I was getting shooting pains to cold and hot foods, like ice cream vs. coffee. Got a crown and that fixed it for a couple years, but then the pains on that tooth came back and xrays showed I needed a root canal. Got a recommendation of a good peri-odontist and it was a breeze. No pain at all and they went right through the crown, then repaired the crown. Seemed to fix the problem for me. I think dental insurance paid ha;f the crown and 100% of the root cana;. So I ended up paying like $450 or something.

[L-A]

Originally Posted by mrpackerguy

I had a cracked tooth where I was getting shooting pains to cold and hot foods, like ice cream vs. coffee. Got a crown and that fixed it for a couple years, but then the pains on that tooth came back and xrays showed I needed a root canal. Got a recommendation of a good peri-odontist and it was a breeze. No pain at all and they went right through the crown, then repaired the crown. Seemed to fix the problem for me. I think dental insurance paid ha;f the crown and 100% of the root cana;. So I ended up paying like $450 or something.

Hey, that's a third of what I paid for my wisdom teeth

[Steve S]

The wisdom of everyone seems to support getting my tooth fixed. It helps when I'm told that it's a relatively simple procedure because it sounds scary to me. Thanks again!

[bassteban]

Originally Posted by Steve S

The wisdom of everyone seems to support getting my tooth fixed. It helps when I'm told that it's a relatively simple procedure because it sounds scary to me. Thanks again!

Good- I'd rather NOT read of your going through he same torture I did. Fear prompted me to put it off, which led to things getting FAR worse, both in terms of severe pain & financially.

[XtreO]

How come getting your teeth fixed is so expensive? :s