What to look for in a x-ray to tell if I really need a root canal or not?

Question

I have an x-ray of my tooth with a cavity.I tried the hitting test to see if it hurts, and it doesn't. I just recently started to have pain on and off. How can I tell in the x-ray if I need a root canal? I have no insurance or money for this. Can I just rinse with peroxide?

Answer 1

Sometimes dentists make money on root canals. So, it is not impossible that the dentist is trying to sell you a root canal. However, you do have a problem.  Go to another dentist. Don't tell him about what the first dentist said. Make an appointment for an examination. What one dentist says and another one says could be 2 different things.

If the root is dead, you need a root canal. In this case, there is no pain; but you still need the root canal.  They test the vitality of the tooth with a cold test. Does the nerve react to cold. They use a little can of cold spray, spray it on the root, if you don't feel it, the nerve is dead.

If the decay has gone into the root of the tooth, you probably need a root canal. In this case, you'll have a lot of pain.  They determine this by the e-ray.

(I've had both.)

There are dental plans that will let you pay for dental work over a payment plan with no interest. That is a good deal.  

Take care of your teeth, even if it costs you money.  There are no easy ways, like just rinsing out with mouthwash.  Dental care is expensive and time consuming, but that is part of growing up. It's a nuisance, but it is very necessary to have your teeth cleaned and checked 2 times a year.  Bad teeth can cause a lot of health problems.... and bad breath.  Not good.

BRUSH A LOT WITH FLOURIDE TOOTHPASTE.

Answer 2

People go to dental school for 4 years to learn this stuff....do you REALLY think you can find this out on YA?

You don't need insurance to see a dentist, you can use cash or a credit card or a health care financing program like Care Credit.

You need to have a dental professional treat you, and determine what is going on.  You will be surprised that most dental problems if caught early enough can be fixed with just a filling.

Answer 3

It does not matter how old you are you could still need a root canal. I had one when I was 16 because like you I let the cavity get bigger and bigger until the decay went into the nerve of the tooth. Once the decay gets into the nerve your only option would be to have a root canal done to remove the nerve in the tooth or have the tooth extracted. You should really have the root canal done to save the tooth. If you have the tooth extracted then over time your teeth will start to shift and move into that space so your bite will change. If you look on the xray you should be able to see the dark spot that is the cavity and if it goes down into the nerves of the tooth which most people call it the roots of the tooth then that is how you know that you will need a root canal. Since it has started hurting off and on then you might be ok to just have a filling done but most of the time that is the tooth giving you a warning before it starts to hurt like h**l all the time and there again you will need to have the root canal done. If you don't think that you can afford to have this done then you should look into any dental schools in your area. It will be alot cheaper to go there because the students will be doing the work under the supervision of a dentiat. Good Luck!