A root canal test such as an x-ray may be used to determine the extent of the tooth decay. The results of root canal tests help the dentist judge the severity of decay and the best course of treatment.
A dentist may use a new test to check for tooth decay. A new tool being used is diagnosing tooth decay is a laser called the Diagnodent laser.
The laser reflects against the surface of the tooth and displays there the different wavelengths of light that return. The laser technique can be used to find cavities before it is visible on x-ray.
The dentist may apply a small piece of ice to the tooth and ask the patient if the ice can be felt. Though this may seem like a rather simple test, it can help the dentist determine if the tooth is dead or if the nerve tissue is still functioning.
Dentist may use one or more of the three main types of dental x-rays to view tooth decay and other dental health issues. The three main dental x-ray types include intraoral, extraoral, and digital imaging.
The most commonly used type for dentists to use is intraoral. The intraoral dental x-rays show detail of several teeth for each x-ray. The dentist is likely to take several of these x-rays to capture images of all the teeth in the mouth.
Dental patients may be familiar with biting on thin, folded strips during the x-ray. These bite-wing x-rays are a type of intraoral x-ray.
Extraoral x-rays can show the jaws and the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The extraoral x-rays do not show detail like cavities but can be used to detect impacted teeth or jaw problems.
A panoramic x-ray is a type of extraoral x-ray that shows the entire mouth. Due to the lack of detail, extraoral x-rays are not used as a root canal test since they cannot show the tooth decay of a tooth.
Dental digital imaging allows the dentist to view the images without having to develop the x-ray images in a darkroom. When the digital x-rays are taken, the images are sent to a computer.
Digital imaging allows the dentist to zoom in on an image of the tooth or teeth so that it can be viewed in detail. This makes it ideal for the dentist to use as a root canal test. The dentist can send the digital image to another dentist if the patient or dentist would like a second opinion.
There is no root canal test that can be used to determine with one hundred percent accuracy without fail if a patient needs a root canal. These tests plus the dental exam allow the dentist to decide if the person should have a root canal procedure within a reasonable margin of error.