Is it absolutely necessary to have a root canal? My dentist said I needed a root canal. I did not have any pain in the tooth at all even though I did have a pretty big hole in it. Was a root canal absolutely necessary? Couldn't they have just cleaned and filled the hole instead of doing something that isn't even 100%?

Sometimes you don't have any pain. Dentists and endodontists are specially trained to test a tooth to see if the pulp has been infected or damaged. If this is the case, a root canal would be necessary to save the tooth.

If your unsure about having the root canal, you can always get a second opinon. A lot of people get scare when they hear the word root canal because they assume it is painful but nowadays it isn't due to technology. My daughter's father just had one this summer and he told me he didn't feel a thing and he was put asleep while he had it.

I am a big baby and was put to sleep when I had a tooth pulled. I didn't even have no pain afterwards. But only a dentist can tell you if a root canal is necessary.

The diagnosis of root canal being needed is generally done after the dentist has taken an x-ray to check the tip of the root. If he/she sees an abscess there a root canal would be recommended.

You can have an abscess and have no pain if there is an outlet for the abscess to drain (like the pretty big hole in your tooth). Once a filling is placed you could have swelling and excruciating pain as the outlet would be closed.

It's not a bad idea to go to another dentist for a second opinion if you really think you don't need a root canal.

Are you sure the dentist didn't tell you that the tooth MAY need a root canal sometime in the future since the decay was so deep?