Root canal symptoms can develop soon after a filling is placed by your dentist. This usually raises questions and concerns if you weren't having any problems before you went to see your dentist.

A few minutes ago I answered a question from a patient who had a filling placed two weeks ago by their general dentist. Their question was, "Did my dentist drill too deep and hit the nerve of my tooth?"

I've been asked this many times by patients referred to me for endodontic treatment. Usually the patient was having any problems when they were told they needed a filling. The filling is placed and they develop a sensitive tooth.

This isn't unusual and most people expect sensitivity after a dental filling is placed. The problem is when the sensitivity doesn't go away but continues to get worse.

The person whose question I just answered stated that their sensitivity had become so severe they couldn't breathe in cold air without experiencing severe pain. When this happens it seems logical that it was the dentist's fault and that they must have drilled too deep and hit the tooth nerve.

But that is rarely the case.

As a root canal specialist I would like to explain what really happens to your tooth if this becomes your experience. The two most likely reasons you will need a filling is tooth decay or an old filling has become defective. Both of these conditions will mean that there is some inflammation present in the dental pulp (tooth nerve).

Additional inflammation will be caused when the tooth decay or dental filling is removed. If that weren't enough the pulp receives one final inflammatory blow when the dental filling is condensed into the cavity. So when you leave your dentist you have an inflamed pulp.

Sometimes this inflammation is mild and causes hardly any problem whatsoever. Other times the inflammation will result in a severe toothache. The challenge for your dentist is predicting how much sensitivity you will have after your filling is placed.

Sometimes the filling will be so deep that you will be warned that the tooth may be very sensitive. But your dentist really can't tell how inflamed the pulp is when you leave the dental office.

Fortunately most of the time the inflammation will be reversible and the dental pulp will return to its normal and healthy condition. Other times the inflammation will be irreversible and root canal treatment will be necessary. What root canal symptoms should you look for?

• Prolonged and intense sensitivity to heat and cold.

• Pain when you bite on the tooth.

• Spontaneous pain. Many times patients will state that they have a throbbing toothache that wakes them up at night.

• Pain relieved by ice water. If it takes ice water to relieveyour toothache then you have a hot tooth and need to see your dentist as soon as possible. I've seen many patients after hours who come in carrying a cup of ice water.

I hope this helps you understand that you can develop root canal symptoms after a dental filling without your dentist hitting the nerve of your tooth. For more information on how to have a relaxing root canal experience read Classic Root Canal Symptoms