At Novel Smiles, patients ask, "my tooth hurts, do I need a root canal?" Toothaches can be terribly inconvenient. They make it difficult to eat, speak, or even function. As a family dentist in McLean, VA, we realize that a common toothache is something most people can live with until it suddenly turns a corner and becomes unbearable. The key is to visit our dental office at that initial stage before you reach the point of severe discomfort. This will give you the largest amount of options for how to treat the problem. To schedule an appointment with our family dental office, call (703) 942-8882.
If you are wondering, "my tooth hurts, do I need a root canal?" the answer is – not necessarily. We know that your tooth could hurt for several reasons, including:
In these scenarios, we can treat the problem without needing to perform a root canal. For example, we can clean your teeth and remove any food particles causing discomfort. If you have a cavity, we can remove the decay and place a filling at our family dentist office. This is done quickly and is far less invasive than a root canal. Simultaneously, if your tooth is chipped or cracked, we can restore it using dental bonding or dental veneers. If you are dealing with erosion, you may need dental crowns to protect your teeth. We also restore teeth on a daily basis and have several ways of doing so.
However, there are many times where a root canal is the right treatment option, so to answer the question, "my tooth hurts, do I need a root canal?" we must also look at the surrounding circumstances.
When you visit our dental office in McLean, VA, we need to know how long you have been dealing with this issue and whether the pain came on suddenly or if it has built up over time. This will help us in determining what the source of the discomfort is and what our treatment plan needs to be.
At Novel Smiles we regularly ask patients about their pain and whether or not it is manageable. If it is only slight discomfort, you may be able to visit our McLean dentist practice and have tooth decay removed. In many cases, a toothache is caused by a cavity that can be treated without the need for a root canal. However, we find that intense pain can often be due to an infection severe enough to warrant a root canal.
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If you have any of these symptoms, you should call our emergency dentist office at 703-942-8882 and schedule an appointment to be seen right away.
When patients call us asking, "my tooth hurts, do I need a root canal?" the second question they normally ask is what the process will be like. At Novel Smiles, we will answer any questions you may have during your examination and consultation. We can complete a root canal in a way that is as comfortable as possible. The reality is that a root canal does not have to hurt. In fact, by using sedation, we can help you feel calm and relaxed to the point that most of our patients say they feel much better after the treatment than they did before the treatment. The root canal removes the infection, which is the cause of the initial discomfort, to relieve the pain. When looking for a "dentist near me" to perform a root canal, be sure to visit one who offers sedation.
We can treat your damaged or infected tooth, along with improving the appearance of your smile. We do so by offering additional solutions like teeth whitening, dental veneers, dental implants, dental crowns, and bridges. To schedule a tooth examination or to learn more about a root canal, call (703) 942-8882.
Q. How do I know if I need a root canal?
Q. What is the root canal process like?
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