When you visit your dentist for tooth infection or because a tooth has become painful, it will not take long to make a proper diagnosis. Your dentist will examine the tooth gently. They may try placing something cold on the tooth, testing the reaction with an unaffected tooth. A dental x-ray will almost certainly be required to determine the extent of the infection and whether the specialist can save the tooth with root canal therapy. If your dentist recommends root canal therapy to save the tooth and believes it has a good chance of success, you should consider it. Otherwise, your dentist will almost certainly extract the tooth. Your natural teeth are designed to last a lifetime and are always the better option. There is no reason to be afraid of root canal treatment.