Root canal treatment is discussed when damage reaches the pulp — the living tissue inside the canals. Night pain, lingering heat sensitivity, and swelling are familiar signs. Some teeth become inflamed with little pain, and the finding appears on examination or an X-ray.
Filling or root canal?
If decay is still away from the pulp, a filling may be enough. If it is very close, or if the pulp has died, a filling does not treat the source. In Jabal Al Taj the decision follows tests, not a guess from pain alone.
- Tooth tests and a radiograph
- A gum boil or swelling
- A past crack or a very deep filling
- Whether the tooth can still be restored after the canals are cleaned
If the tooth cannot be kept, extraction and replacement are discussed. A root canal is neither a punishment nor a cosmetic extra; it is an attempt to keep a root that can support a restoration.