In short, when you need a root canal, it may feel like throbbing pain due to infection inside of the root of your tooth. A visible fistula, swelling, or temperature sensitivity might be present. Bacteria can also lead to foul-tasting drainage along the gum tissue near your root.
If you feel pain in your tooth while you're drinking or eating something hot or cold you might need a root canal. The sensitivity can manifest itself as a sharp pain or a dull ache, and if you can feel it for a longer period of time, even after you finish drinking or earing.
Persistent tooth pain is one of the signs that you may need a root canal. The pain in your tooth might bother you all the time, or it might go away from time to time but always return. You may feel the pain deep in the bone of your tooth. Or you may feel referred pain in your face, jaw, or in your other teeth.
If your dentist recommends a root canal, you might feel nervous about the pain. In fact, as root canal procedures are carried out using local anaesthesia to numb the pain, they're usually no more painful than getting a filling or other dental treatment.
A successful root canal can cause mild pain for a few days. This is temporary, and should go away on its own as long as you practice good oral hygiene. You should see your dentist for a follow-up if the pain lasts longer than three days.
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.
Standard root canal treatments usually require two visits or more to be completed. In the case of two appointments, you can expect the first session to include creating an opening in the crown to provide access to the root canal and later cleaning and disinfecting the canal to get rid of the infected tissue.
A root canal causes mild pain for a few days. The discomfort is temporary and is manageable with over-the-counter pain relievers and practicing proper oral hygiene. However, if the discomfort lasts over three days, you must see your dentist for advice.
You will remain awake and conscious throughout the root canal but will feel very relaxed. Another common option, conscious oral sedation, is a prescribed sedative pill that you will take before your appointment. It will help you to greatly relax during your procedure.
Tooth pain alone does not mean you need a root canal. But if there is pain, you should watch for several specific signs of what may be an infection serious enough to require treatment.
The average root canal treatment is 30 to 60 minutes long. More complex cases may take around 90 minutes. A root canal typically requires one or two appointments to complete.
When you get an x-ray, this will give definitive proof that you need to get a root canal. The x-ray gives the dentist a clear view of any infection in the tooth especially one at the root of the tooth.
Over-the-counter pain medications are usually adequate, but your dentist may prescribe a stronger prescription medication if deemed necessary. Be sure to contact your dentist if you do experience severe or worsening pain after more than two or three days following your root canal procedure.
Can I drive myself home after a root canal? Yes, if you had no sedation for your root canal treatment or only nitrous oxide, you will be able to drive yourself home in most cases. Patients who have conscious oral sedation will need to have someone drive them to and from their appointment.
Patients should plan to rest the day of their root canal procedure, and most can return to work the very next day. Our bodies need proper healing time, and this time can vary between patients. In most cases we recommend patients can return to work the day after their root canal procedure.
The need for a crown is typically determined by the amount of remaining tooth structure after a root canal. Generally, if more than half of the tooth is gone, a crown is indicated to restore the tooth's structural integrity.
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.
If you wait a long time to undergo a root canal, bacteria will attack the tip of the tooth's root, causing serious bone loss. Such bone loss can result in tooth loss.
Root canal treatments are frequently completed in a couple of visits, especially if you have multiple root canals that must be cleaned. Endodontists who are specialists in performing root canal treatments believe that this procedure must be completed in one visit.