4 Warning Signs You Need a Root Canal

Even though root canals have a scary reputation, features of this dental procedure include reducing pain, treating infection, and repairing damage, thus saving the involved tooth and restoring your smile’s functionality.

Admittedly, our team at the Center for Dental Excellence East Lake in Tarpon Springs, Florida, prefers to address tooth decay and other oral health issues long before a root canal becomes necessary.

However, we’d like to take a more positive view of root canals because, should you need one, the benefits far outweigh the loss of a natural tooth.

Here’s our professional insight into root canals and the symptoms that may signal you need one.

Reasons for a root canal

A root canal is a dental procedure designed to save a tooth that is severely damaged, infected, or decayed.

We generally recommend this procedure for:

Severe tooth decay

When a cavity extends deep into the tooth, reaching the pulp (the soft inner tissue containing nerves and blood vessels), bacteria can infect the area. This can cause significant pain and sensitivity.

Abscess

Any untreated infection may lead to an abscess, which is a pocket of pus at the root of the tooth. Abscesses can cause swelling and intense pain and sometimes spread infection to other areas.

Severe tooth trauma

A cracked or fractured tooth due to injury or accident can expose the pulp, leading to pain, infection, and emergency dental treatment.

What to expect during the procedure

We’ll discuss the procedure in detail before scheduling your root canal.

Typically, a root canal procedure involves your dental provider removing the damaged or infected pulp, cleaning and disinfecting the inside of the tooth, and sealing it to prevent any further infection.

Upon completion of the root canal, we often place a crown, which restores the tooth's strength, function, and appearance.

Local anesthesia ensures a pain-free procedure. You may experience mild discomfort for a few days afterward, usually managed with over-the-counter pain relievers.

Most individuals tolerate the procedure well and report significant pain relief following a root canal.

Four warning signs that indicate you may need a root canal

Symptoms that may prompt us to consider a root canal include:

1. Persistent tooth pain

Tooth pain when you chew (or when you aren’t even touching your tooth) could mean the pulp — the nerves and other soft tissues within your tooth — is infected. Often, the pain worsens over time as the infection spreads.

2. Temperature sensitivity

Sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures is another sign of needing a root canal. In many cases, temperature sensitivity lingers long after exposure to a hot or cold substance. 

This type of pain can indicate that your tooth pulp is infected or exposed, requiring immediate attention.

3. Sudden tooth discoloration

If your tooth suddenly darkens while the other nearby teeth remain their usual color, you could need a root canal.

Severe inflammation can rupture blood vessels inside the tooth, staining microscopic channels in the tooth layer beneath the enamel (dentinal tubules).

Or, when an infection causes the tissue inside your tooth to start breaking down, the nerves and blood vessels can die, causing visible discoloration.

4. Gum tissue changes

Infected tooth pulp may cause a small, pimple-like bump (dental abscess), redness, and tenderness in the gum area around the involved tooth.

Before recommending a root canal, your provider completes a thorough evaluation that typically includes advanced imaging studies to confirm the diagnosis.

Schedule a visit at the Center for Dental Excellence East Lake today. Call the office at (727) 934-1200 or request an appointment online.