When the pain will not stop
Severe, nonstop tooth pain takes over everything. Eating hurts, sleep is broken, and it is hard to concentrate on work or enjoy time with family and friends. If that is where you are right now, hear this first: the pain can end, and getting there is far gentler than you are imagining.
It is worth being honest, too. Constant tooth pain is a sign of a serious problem, most often a deep infection inside the tooth, and the longer it goes untreated the worse it becomes. That is why we treat cases like this urgently; our emergency dentistry page explains how we fit pain patients in. And in many of these cases, the treatment that ends the pain is a root canal.
What a root canal actually is
A root canal is a routine outpatient procedure performed by a dentist or endodontist. Its whole purpose is rescue: it removes the infected pulp from inside a badly infected tooth, repairs the tooth, and spares it from extraction. Performed early enough, root canal therapy preserves your natural tooth so it never has to be pulled.
The procedure’s fearsome reputation is decades out of date. The infection is what causes root canal pain; the treatment is what removes it.
Root canal or extraction: the real decision
By the time a root canal is on the table, the infection is past the point of clearing up on its own. That leaves two options: treat the tooth, or pull it.
Extraction sounds simpler, but it is only the first step. The lost tooth then needs to be replaced with a dental prosthetic, which makes the whole path both costlier and longer than a root canal. Treating the tooth also lowers your risk of the infection spreading and becoming more serious. Whenever a natural tooth can be saved, saving it is usually the better choice, and Dr. Balaban will tell you plainly which situation yours is.
What to expect in the chair
Comfort comes first here. We practice Fear-Less Dentistry, so if nerves are part of what has kept you waiting, say so; sedation options are available for patients who want extra help relaxing.
Before treatment, Dr. Alex Balaban performs a full dental exam, reviews your health history, and takes X-rays. The tooth is then thoroughly numbed with local anesthetic, so you will not feel pain during the procedure. Through a small opening in the crown of the tooth, Dr. Balaban removes the decayed and infected material, and medication may be placed inside to fight any remaining infection. The tooth is protected with a temporary crown, and you may be prescribed antibiotics afterward. At a later visit, the tooth receives its filling and permanent crown, completing the repair.
Do not spend one more day in pain
If tooth pain has reached the point where you cannot eat, sleep, work, or exercise, stop waiting for it to pass on its own. Request an appointment online or call Smile Arts Dental at (317) 575-1995, and we will find out together whether a root canal is the answer that ends your dental pain.
This article is for general education only and is not a substitute for professional dental advice. For guidance about your own smile, talk with your dentist.