How Much Pain Is Normal after Root Canal Therapy?

How-Much-Pain-Is-Normal-after-Root-Canal-Therapy.jpg

It is common for most people to associate having a root canal with extreme pain and discomfort because of the reputation it has acquired. However, while some discomfort and pain can be experienced during and after the procedure is completed it is not normal for people to suffer from excessive pain.

The effective use of anesthetics and modern technology in dentistry has made this procedure safe, quick, and relatively pain-free to make it an excellent way to preserve the natural tooth.

People can easily avoid needing root canal treatment if they decide to visit a dentist near them whenever they have a toothache to prevent the infection from worsening, forming an abscess, or spreading throughout the tooth root system.

THE REALITY ON PAIN AFTER A ROOT CANAL

  • Root canal therapy will treat the diseased pulp even as it preserves the rest of the tooth.

  • The patient will be given anesthetics before the procedure to ensure it is normal painful than having a typical dental filling.

  • If a root canal fails, conducting the treatment again can fix the problem.

HOW MUCH PAIN CAN BE EXPECTED AFTER ROOT CANAL TREATMENT?

Some sensitivity and tenderness are reported by most people for a few days after undergoing a root canal. There are several reasons for this occurrence:

The tissue around the gums is swollen or inflamed. Even after the dentist removes the nerve root from the tooth small nerves still exist in the ligaments and tissue surrounding the tooth. After a dental procedure, this area can become inflamed and the nerve endings can cause some discomfort.

The dental instrument used during the procedure to clean the root canal may have inadvertently damaged the sensitive surrounding tissue.

Temporary filling too high. After the dentist puts in a temporary filling and does not smooth it down it can cause the mouth to bite down harder to make the tooth sore.

The pain and discomfort associated after a root canal should disappear in a few days but if it does not get better or unrelieved from home medications it is important to contact the endodontist or dentist for an evaluation.

CAN ROOT CANALS FAIL?

Thankfully most root canals are successful and any that fail is a result of an error by dentist causing the patient to experience pain for which there are many reasons. Some of them being the following:

  • Leakages in the restoration.

  • Poor oral or dental hygiene.

  • The collapse of the tooth or sealing material over time.

  • Vertical cracks in the tooth.

  • An obstruction like a curved root canal that prevents cleaning of the canal completely.

If the pain is being caused by a missed canal the endodontist will need to open the tooth, remove the filling and try to locate the canal.

If the tooth has a vertical fracture the dentist would consider extracting the tooth.

A surgical procedure known as root-end resection may be required if the patient is experiencing persistent inflammation or infection after a root canal.

HOW IS ROOT CANAL THERAPY PERFORMED?

Even the root canal treatment near you will be performed by an endodontist who prepares for the procedure by conducting an examination and also looking at x-rays of the tooth. Local anesthesia will be administered to the patient to numb the area around the tooth and a protective rubber dam will be placed in the patient’s mouth to isolate the damaged tooth. The endodontist will make a tiny opening on the top of the tooth to access the delicate part inside which is the pulp. The pulp will be removed from the chamber and the root canals with very small instruments.

The dentist cleans and shapes the root canals to create space for the filling and possibly a post to support the tooth. The endodontist fills the root canals with a substance called gutta-percha that resembles rubber before putting a temporary filling on top of the tooth to protect the inside when it is healing.

Patients who have undergone a root canal treatment will be required to visit the dentist to have the temporary filling removed. At this stage, the dentist will either restore the tooth with a permanent crown or any other permanent restoration. After the treatment is over the tooth should be back functioning normally and should not cause any pain.

Root canal treatment in Altus, OK is conducting several procedures every year and in most cases successfully managing to preserve a tooth that is infected or damaged with endodontic treatment. New technology and anesthetics are helping to ensure a root canal is as comfortable as possible but if the patient experiences severe and long-lasting pain he or she should report it to the endodontist for further evaluation.

High Five