Symptoms & diagnosis
When a tooth hurts, diagnosis comes first
Dental pain does not always originate from the nerve of the tooth, and not every toothache requires root canal treatment.
What happens at a diagnostic consultation?
We assess the character of your symptoms, test the teeth and surrounding structures, examine your bite where appropriate, and review relevant dental imaging. Tests may include cold testing, gentle tapping and pressure on individual cusps, examination of the gum around the tooth, and radiographs where needed.
When should you book an assessment?
Consider an assessment if you experience:
- spontaneous or throbbing pain;
- prolonged pain after hot or cold;
- pain when chewing or biting;
- pain that is difficult to localise;
- symptoms following previous treatment;
- swelling or a draining sinus on the gum.
Benefits
- reduced risk of treating the wrong tooth;
- clearer understanding of the likely cause of your symptoms;
- an individual treatment plan;
- confirmation when root canal treatment is not required.
What happens next
You leave with a diagnosis and a written plan. If treatment is recommended, it is booked only once you understand the options, the likely prognosis of the tooth and the fee. If the pain has another cause — a crack, a bite problem or a gum condition, for example — we explain this and let your dentist know.
Our guide to the signs you may need root canal treatment describes the symptom patterns that most often point to the pulp.