Q: Does root canal treatment hurt?
A: A root canal treatment is designed to eliminate the pain sometimes associated with root canal infection. Root canal therapy itself should not be painful; dentists anesthetic to numb the area so that you should feel little to no discomfort. If you suffer from dental anxiety and the thought of a root canal treatment makes you nervous, ask your dentist about sedation options.

Q: Why do I need root canal treatment if I don't feel any pain?
A: The absence of pain is not necessarily an indication that all is well with your teeth. In fact, most teeth that need root canal therapy won't give you pain.
Your dentist or endodontist will need to examine the tooth carefully to assess the health of the pulp, which lies beneath the tooth's surface, in order to determine if root canal therapy is needed. A radiograph is usually very helpful.

Q: I have a broken tooth. Does that mean I need root canal treatment?
A: Not necessarily. However, a broken tooth leaves the inner tooth vulnerable to the bacteria that can cause root canal infection. Often, a toothache or pain signals an infection; sometimes, you may not feel any discomfort at all. If you have a broken tooth, your best bet is to see a dentist as soon as possible for a proper diagnosis — even if there's no infection now, there could be later.

Q: Why not just get an infected tooth pulled out?
A: If possible, it's better to try to keep your natural teeth. Extracting a tooth leaves a gap and can cause other teeth to shift. Plus, with root canals treatment, you can avoid having to invest in a dental implant or bridge, both of which can be more costly.