Would tooth filling or root canal treatment be effective for tooth decay? (photo)

Doctor's Answers 1

A filling is used to treat the effects of tooth decay: formation of a cavity in a tooth.

Root canal treatment is done when the nerve of a tooth is diseased. Thus, resulting in a toothache or an abscess. A filling is placed after the root canal treatment is completed to close the cavity caused by tooth decay and the root canal treatment access cavity.

Whether a filling alone will be enough or if root canal treatment is needed will depend not only on X-rays but also clinical symptoms (such as pain, presence of a swelling, tenderness on chewing etc).

Similar Questions

How long does root canal treatment at a dental clinic usually last? (photo)

It depends on what you mean by "last". If you mean how likely it is that the root canal treatment will have a successful long term outcome, then there are studies showing that root canal treatment in teeth with areas of bone loss around the root tips are about 70-80% successful over the long term. This is because teeth with this sort of radiographic appearance tend to have a much higher load of bacteria in the root canal spaces.

Photo of Dr Jaclyn Toh

Answered By

Dr Jaclyn Toh

Dentist

What are my treatment options for a discoloured tooth after root canal treatment if internal bleaching results do not last for long?

Correcting tooth discolouration is more predictable with a crown. If the tooth is severely discoloured, more porcelain needs to be layered on top of it to mask it. Generally, this means that ultra-thin veneers are out because there would not be enough material thickness. It can be very challenging to mask a discoloured tooth and match it to to adjacent natural teeth, so expect a few try-ins or even remakes of the final crown to get the best results. If the entire root is also discoloured, this may show through the gumline at the end and may not be masked by the crown.

Photo of Dr Jaclyn Toh

Answered By

Dr Jaclyn Toh

Dentist

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