Is Having a Root Canal Painful?

  

 

Root canals are a procedure for rescuing a severely infected or decayed tooth. This procedure is required when a tooth infection moves beyond being a toothache and forms an abscess which expands throughout the root of the tooth. Done by a dentist or an endodontist, a root canal procedure cleanses the insides of the tooth, removes the nerve and pulp present inside the root canal, and saves the tooth.

 

Some people find the thought of having a root canal done potentially frightening. This is typically because of misconceptions and myths about the procedure. In this blog post, we're going to give an overview of what having root canal therapy involves and provide an answer for a common question about root canals:

 

It's popular to portray root canals as extremely painful but this isn't how root canals really are. Improvements in anesthetics and technology in dentistry have made root canals essentially hassle-free and pain-free. Now patients can look forward to less discomfort and shorter recovery times than in the past.

 

Root canal therapy might not be as intimidating if you learn what to expect before you have one. The dentist will use local anesthesia to numb the area near your tooth so you will not have any pain. Though there are some rare instances where the anesthetic might not be completely effective because of issues such as abscesses, the dentist will ordinarily prescribe antibiotics seven to ten days before the procedure to prevent them.

 

After the root canal treatment is completed and all of the bacteria and infection have been eliminated from the interior of the tooth, your endodontist or dentist with remove the nerve, a soothing agent will be added, and the tooth will be closed up with a filling. Whatever discomfort the patient might feel after the procedure should go away in the next 24 hours as the immune system takes care of whatever remains of the infection. The area could still have some tenderness for a few days following the root canal.

 

Whenever the gums are inflamed, it's possible to experience some discomfort or pain. While your dentist or endodontist may have eliminated the nerve of the tooth during the procedure, the nerves in the surrounding tissues are still present, and the tissue can get swollen and cause discomfort.

 

In any case, remember that it's not typical to have severe pain that lasts longer than a few days. If you are experiencing pain like this, be sure to call your endodontist or general dentist as soon as possible.

 

Are you experiencing a toothache that is worrying you? Schedule an appointment with us to have it checked by Dr. Lechner.