Questions about root canals

[Ventress]

Forgive my ignorance but there are some things that I'm not quite clear on when it comes to dental work.

1. Does tooth pain always mean that a root canal is needed?
2. Are root canals exclusively done on teeth that have become infected or no?
3. Have there been any cases of badly decayed teeth being restored without needing a root canal?

I still don't have the guts to see a dentist anytime soon but I'm hoping there's a sliver of a possibility that if/when I do, I won't need to have as many root canals as I suspect

 

[FearfulInMA]

I'm not a dentist, but will do my best to answer your questions.

1. No. Tooth pain can be from any number of things including decay, but also including gum recession and sensitivity due to some enamel loss

2. No. Sometimes they are done on teeth that exhibit symptoms indicating the nerve is dying or dead, but have not yet become infected.

3. Yes. I had some badly (visibly) decayed teeth restored with fillings. It really depends on how deep the decay is (if it's reached close to the nerve).

The sooner you are able to get yourself to a dentist, the better chance you have to avoid more extensive dental work. However, even if you do need a root canal, I can honestly tell you that they are not like their reputation or some horror stories would suggest. I've had 4 of them and all have been painless.

Best of luck!