Restoring Your Roots

Cavities can be easy to spot because of their discolouration and can eventually lead to discomfort. Root canal infections often come with their own list of symptoms that may not be as obvious because you can’t physically see the issue just by looking.

Your dentist may suggest you have a root canal procedure to revive and strengthen your tooth if there is an infection or inflammation inside.

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What a Root Canal Can Do for You

If you’ve ever had a toothache, you know the feelings can be persistent and uncomfortable.

Symptoms of an infected tooth include:

A persistent and throbbing toothache
Severe pain that radiates to the jawbone, neck, or ear
Hot and cold temperature sensitivity
Difficulty or discomfort chewing or biting food
Fever (consistent with infection)
Swelling in your face or cheek near the source of toothache
Tender or swollen lymph nodes on the neck or under the jaw
Foul-smelling or foul-tasting salty fluid in your mouth followed by pain relief
Difficult breathing or swallowing—please call a healthcare professional

If an infected tooth is left untreated, it can lead to an abscess, causing more pain. If the pulp of your tooth decays, an infection can build up at the root of the tooth in the jaw bone and possibly spread. An abscess can destroy the jawbone surrounding the tooth and cause further complications.

Common causes of pulp damage and infections:

A cracked or flawed fillings
Deep cavities

How Does a Root Canal Work?

A root canal procedure removes your tooth’s damaged pulp from the centre of your tooth. The space is then cleaned, shaped, and filled to seal off the root.

Most root canal procedures solve the issue of toothache and infection. In some cases, a second treatment may be needed, called “retreatment.” If this occurs, the filling material is removed, the canal is cleaned again, reshaped, and refilled.