The good news is that many patients feel no pain or discomfort after a root canal. In cases where patients do feel residual pain once the anesthesia wears off, the pain should last no more than 3 days.
Some Minor Pain Is Normal After Root Canal Treatment
If you have had a root canal in the last few days and you're experiencing some minor pain, discomfort, and inflammation, this is nothing to worry about. This is normal and a relatively common issue.
Everyone's tolerance for pain is different, so there is no set timeline for how long root canal pain lasts. In most cases, patients will experience mild discomfort or pain for the first few days after treatment. Generally, the pain is short-lived as long as the patient uses proper dental hygiene.
While severe pain after a root canal isn't common, it is common to experience a bit of discomfort in the treated area. As your body heals, the area around the tooth might feel a bit sore and tender, explains Bupa.
For a few days after your root canal procedure, your tooth may be sensitive or have a dull aching sensation, but this is temporary. Strong prescription pain medications are not usually required after endodontic treatment.
Most of the time, people who have had root canal therapy can go back to work or school the next day. However, if you've had sedation during your dental procedure, you may need an extra day or two to fully recover.
Get some rest while you're recovering to ensure that your body does the repairing that you need to do. Sleep is vital to recovery as it's when your body dedicates itself to repairing and fixing up your body. Take a day or two off after your root canal.
Root canals are considered to be the most painful because they require removing the nerve tissue on a tooth's root. The removal of the nerve tissue is not only excruciatingly painful but also commonly leads to infection.
At best, root canal pain after 3 days will lessen, but on average, it can last anywhere from a few days to about a week. If the pain persists beyond this period, or worse, intensifies, it's crucial to consult a professional dentist as it may be a sign of an infection or further complications.
Most patients get mild symptoms, if any. One comparative study of 168 root canal patients in the International Endodontic Journal cited a pain level hovering just above one on a zero-to-10 scale. Researchers noted that 63% of participants recorded no anterior pain at all.
What Not To Do: Avoid eating immediately after the procedure – your mouth may still be numb, which makes you prone to biting yourself and other accidents. Avoid chewing hard and crunchy foods – you are still in recovery. Give your tooth ample time to heal before you can resume your normal lifestyle.
You may experience gum soreness or tenderness in the area and the swelling may even spread to the cheek next to your tooth. Typically, the swelling takes at least 24 hours to subside, with most patients not experiencing a complete reduction in swelling for at least 72 hours.
You can eat 30 to 45 minutes after a root canal, which is enough time to allow your temporary filling to fully harden, but it's generally recommended that patients wait to eat until after the anesthetic has worn off to prevent you from biting your cheek or tongue.
4-6 hours after the RCT is completed you may notice an aching/throbbing sensation at the tip of the roots, and surrounding tissues. This is normal, and should steadily get better over the next few days. If the symptoms worsen, or you have swelling present please call the office immediately for an evaluation.
If your canals are blocked, you may need surgery to treat the infection. Your dentist will inform you with the next steps. Because a throbbing tooth after a root canal can indicate a serious problem, including infection, it is wise to not delay treatment on the tooth.
Antibiotics are not absolutely necessary after a root canal. After a root canal, you need very little time to recover, and post-operative care is the best way for fast healing. However, a dentist may recommend antibiotics before root canal to improve the chances of a successful outcome.
During any root canal, body tissues not directly being treated have a chance to become agitated and mildly inflamed. In the case of throbbing pain after a root canal, the culprit is the bone surrounding the tooth. The bone tissue becomes irritated and provokes some discomfort. For most patients, this is very mild.
The maxillary molars, especially the second molars, have the most complicated root canal system in permanent dentition. There are many variations in canal number and configuration in maxillary molars. Treatment may be unsuccessful because the dentist may fail to recognize the unusual canal configuration.
According to the American Association of Endodontists, patients who choose root canal treatment are six times more likely to describe it as painless than patients who opt for tooth extraction. After a root canal, the tooth and the surrounding area may feel sensitive for a few days.
Root canals can be a painful procedure. In fact, many find it to be more painful than an extraction, but the use of local anesthesia can reduce the pain. The procedure starts by first examining the patient's mouth with X-rays. These help to determine the severity of the infection and the number of teeth infected.
Keep your head elevated and don't eat right away
To keep this under control and minimise the pain, try to keep your head elevated and avoid lying down as much as possible. It's also worth adding another pillow so that your head's a little elevated while you sleep for the first few days.
Can I Get A Root Canal While Sleeping? The answer is yes: you can get a root canal while sleeping at our endodontic office on Long Island. There are two types of sedation to help people feel at ease during their root canal procedure. During conscious sedation, the patient remains awake.
I know that many may not believe this, but, in my office, it is common for patients fall asleep during root canals! The reason for this is that there is not a lot of drilling during a root canal procedure. It is a rhythmic and quiet procedure. Patients are comfortable and calm because they are numb.
The root canal procedure is completed in two separate visits to ensure that the tooth is thoroughly cleaned out, sealed up, and protected from further damage.