Do You Need a Filling or Root Canal? Here’s How to Know

Bodily pain and discomfort should never be ignored for long as it is almost always a symptom of something going wrong. Pain is how our body communicates with the brain, saying, hey, we need some help here. Tooth pain and discomfort is no different.

Pain and discomfort in your mouth is almost always a sign of a more serious problem. Generally it means that you will need the help of a dentist. Our team at Williams, Daily and Frazier Dental are proud to have served the Raleigh, North Carolina area for a long time now and have the experience to accurately assess and diagnose the many pain-related problems people have with their teeth, gums, and jaws. While you will need to schedule an appointment to get specific information about what procedure is right for you and your pain, the following is a look at some of the more common things to know about tooth pain and what might be needed:

What is a Tooth Filling?

If your pain is caused by a cavity, then we may need to extract the bad stuff and put in what is called a tooth filling. Cavities are holes that get left by extreme dental decay. If you have a cavity, it is important to have it seen and treated quickly because dental decay will spread to nearby teeth.

To treat this, your dentist will begin by clearing out the decay. They will then fill the hole with a special type of material called composite resin. That composite resin is the filing. Filings are an ideal treatment for smaller cavities where there is minor decay.

What is a Root Canal?

Sometimes, a patient doesn't get to the dentist until after the minor decay has become a major decay. Major decay happens when the dental decay has more significantly impacted the tooth, affecting the vital pulp at the heart of it. When the pulp of a tooth becomes infected, the issue becomes much more serious and may require a root canal.

Root canal therapies or root canal treatments are often recommended when the dental damage of a tooth has caused the infection within the pulp. This type of treatment gets deep into the pulp, often removing the infected or inflamed pulp, carefully cleaning and disinfecting the area, and then fully filling and sealing the tooth back up with a composite.

Concerned About Dental Treatment?

Fillings and root canals don't have to be scary stuff. Both are recommended treatments for those with decayed teeth. During and just after the procedure, the patient may feel some discomfort but that will pass, and it is better to address these sorts of dental issues quickly, rather than letting them become more serious. Our team can also provide sedation to keep patients relaxed and pain-free during the procedure.

In addition to preventing the dental decay from spreading, early treatment will enable us to save that natural tooth. Saving and enabling you to keep your natural teeth has a number of advantages which include:

• More efficient and enjoyable chewing
• A natural appearance and feel
• The feeling of normal biting force and the sensation of biting and chewing
• Each tooth protects the ones next to it, so keeping a natural tooth will protect all others in the mouth from excessive wearing and straining

Schedule a Dental Exam

Please don't wait if you are feeling tooth pain and discomfort. We promise that whatever minor discomfort you feel during the treatment is worth it to be rid of the pain felt by an infected tooth. Plus, getting dental decay treated quickly is the best way to prevent that pain from spreading and compromising all of your teeth.

So give our team a call today and let us schedule that appointment for you right away. Our office is located in Raleigh, NC, and we are proud to serve clients from all over the Triangle area with effective and affordable dental care.