What determines whether a cavity needs a root canal or not?

I just wanted to know if a dentist who gave me a root canal when I had ZERO pain or infection was just trying to make more money. How do you tell, what are the criterion? Thank-you!!

Answers:
There are several scenarios which can lead to determining the need for performing root canal therapy:

Abscessing: infection at the Apex (tip of the root) which usually, but not always is the cause the cause of a the classic toothache

Trauma: which causes the nerve to die resulting in a loss of blood supply and vitality.

Or perhaps you had a deep cavity and during the process of removing the decayed part of the tooth the pulp (nerve chamber, blood supply) was exposed. When this happens the nerve must be removed and the canals, which are the nerve access from the jaw must be cleaned, enlarged slightly, and sealed to prevent bacteria present during the exposure from becoming an infection inside the tooth causing eventual problems such as abscessing and pain.

These are simple descriptions of a detailed process that can further be explained if needed, and are not the only reasons for determination of the need for root canal therapy.

I hope this does help. If you have a particular concern or scenario you want to discuss concerning root canal therapy I would be more than glad to try to answer your question.
A tooth needs a root canal when the decay has reached the pulp of the tooth. Normally a cavity is fairly shallow, but when it gets deep and goes into the pulp of the tooth thats when it needs a root canal. You don't have to have any infection or pain to have this happen. An x-ray will let the dentist know that the decay has reached the pulp.

The health and medicine information post by website user , AnyQA.com not guarantee correctness , is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions.


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