Do I Need to See a Root Canal Dentist? Warning Signs of Root Canal Infection

We understand the words “you need a root canal” can cause anxiety, but you can breathe easy at Mark H Wright DDS. As the premier dentist in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Dr. Mark Wright offers comfortable treatments in our home-like office. Whether it’s a root canal or other dental procedure, our treatments are designed with your comfort in mind.

We combine cutting-edge technology, light touch techniques, modern anesthetics, and oral sedation for precise, fast, and worry-free dentistry. Don’t let that painful or sensitive tooth hold you back anymore. Contact us today for precise root canal treatment. 

Understanding whether you need a root canal

When your tooth is damaged or decayed, and the damage can’t be reversed by other means, a root canal is usually the best treatment. A root canal removes the diseased tooth pulp and its content to eradicate pain. Once we remove the infected pulp, we restore your tooth with a crown to give you a lifetime of durability and function. 

Now we know what a root canal is, how can you tell you need one?

First, only a dentist can definitively determine if you need root canal treatment. However, there are warning signs you can watch out for, which would prompt you to reach out to your root canal dentist.

 Some include:

• Severe toothache: Tooth pain is usually the tell-tale sign that you may have an infected tooth. Infection in the root chamber causes pressure build-up; that’s why you experience debilitating pain, especially when you bite down or apply pressure on the tooth. Additionally, your tooth can become extremely sensitive to cold or hot foods
• Darkened tooth: An infected tooth will appear dark brown as the dying pulp chamber copes with restricted blood flow. During a root canal, we’ll remove the necrotic pulp material, fill the canals with gutta-percha, and restore your tooth with a crown to improve its appearance
• Dental abscess: A dental abscess occurs when harmful bacteria from the infected tooth forms pockets of pus around the tooth root. An abscessed tooth causes a recurring pimple-like bump on your gums
• Persistent bad breath: Another sign of an infected tooth is chronic foul breath despite your improved oral hygiene. The bacteria in the infected tooth are the cause of bad odor. Furthermore, if pus is present, it can be another source of bad odor or taste in the mouth

Tooth infection doesn’t get better without treatment. Call (719) 624-4122 to get the right treatment from Dr. Mark Wright.