Is a Root Canal Worse than a Filling?
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No, you cannot compare a filling to a root canal because they are completely different from one another. Second, you are unable to make a choice regarding what to do with your tooth. A dentist is skilled and experienced enough to check your tooth and advise you on the best plan of action.
Consider this: if your tooth can be saved with a simple filling, why would you need root canal treatment? I think you should learn about both treatments so that you can readily determine which is truly the worst. Continue reading to learn about both treatments one by one.
What is a Dental Filling?
The technique by which a dentist fills a cavity with a particular material is known as a dental filling. Dental fillings are used to stop cavities from developing again.
During the dental filling treatment, the dentist uses a special instrument to clean the existing cavity. After cleaning the tooth, he inserts the specific material in the cleansed cavity. Now that the space has been filled, bacteria can no longer remain and can’t infect the tooth.
What is Root Canal Treatment?
It is the procedure by which a dentist removes all nerves and veins (pulp) from the infected tooth. There is no doubt that pulp plays an important role in the sensitivity of your teeth.
The tooth is dead after root canal therapy. And no sensation or pain remains in the tooth.
Root canal therapy is recommended for people who have a large cavity with severe pain. Dentists attempt to eliminate all infections from the cavity. As a result, the patient no longer experiences sensitivity or intense pain.
Read more: Magical Ways to stop tooth pain fast at home
How do I know if I need a Dental Filling or a Root Canal treatment?
It depends upon the type of cavity infection and how much deeper it is. If the cavity has spread to the enamel or dentin, it may be possible to stop it at this point by filling it.
However, if the cavity extends into the soft inner part of the tooth (the pulp), the filling will be ineffective. And you have to go with a root canal treatment.
Now, I am convinced that you can easily determine which is the worst option, a root canal treatment or a filling.
FAQs:
What are the side effects of Root Canal Infection?
I will try to clarify some of the most common side effects that I have heard from my patients:
- You can experience pain in different areas of your face for a few days after root canal therapy. In this case, I advise my patients to use pain relievers.
- After root canal therapy, patients complain of swelling in their cheeks. It is not a worrying scenario in most cases. However, if swelling persists over a number of days, there can be a problem. Visit the dentist right away for a checkup.
- During root canal treatment, the pulp is removed from the tooth, which causes its color to darken over time. It implies that no blood ever reaches the tooth. However, essential minerals cannot reach the tooth without blood. Because of this, teeth’s colors mutate with time.
- Because of pulp removal, the tooth weakens over time. Sometimes when you try to chew on something hard, your tooth can’t handle the pressure and crackdown. If you have poor dental hygiene, bacteria will enter through a cracked tooth and reinfect it. You may experience pain under or near a dead tooth, as well as pain in your jaw or other facial parts. Patients come to me with this situation, and I perform re-root canal treatment.