Re: Isn't There A More Scientific Way To Test For Root Canal?

beedeejon wrote:
Isn't there a more scientific
manner to determine the problem one hundred percent?


Short answer: No.


X-rays help determine the depth of cavities and fillings as well
as show radioluscencies in the bone (sign of infection). However,
it is a two dimensional view and does not show everything. A new
3-D type of tomography is being developed which will show a clearer
picture of what is really going on, but it still will not show
whether the pulp tissue inside a tooth is healthy or not.

Most of the time, tooth pain is fairly easy to diagnose. There is
a large cavity or an obvious defect on the X-ray to indicate the
problem tooth. Usually the patient can point to the exact tooth
that is hurting.

In a few cases, there may be no obvious cause for the pain. In others
there could be any one of several teeth causing pain and the trick is
to find out which one to treat first!

Not all tooth pain can be treated with a root canal. Some teeth may
be cracked beyond repair (though seemingly sitting there in one
piece). Some cracked teeth just need a crown or onlay. Some pain can
come from exposed root surfaces agravated by tartar control or
whitening tooth paste.

Teeth can also be painful because of occlusal trauma. A 'high' restoration can trigger problems.

Clenching also needs to be considered. Both for damaging teeth
and causing pain in surrounding structures (TMJ, etc.).

Normally it doesn't take 3-4 weeks of significant pain to figure out.

JMO,
Steve
.

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