If you are experiencing such kind of pain and you delay getting a root canal, the pain will only get worse and unbearable. An untreated root canal can not only result in bone loss and infection but can also result in an acute abscess. An abscess is the formation of pus on the infected tissue or the area of decay.
You must undergo a root canal within a few weeks to fully eliminate the infection and save your tooth. In general, a root canal typically takes about two hours to complete, but it can require subsequent visits depending on the severity of the damage.
If you delay root canal treatment, the oral infection continues to get worse, and it can even lead to a very serious condition called septicemia — when the localized infection from your tooth spreads through your body. This can quickly become a dangerous health situation that you want to avoid at all costs.
Not a good idea. Waiting to have one of your damaged teeth treated can result in ultimately losing the tooth. Root canals are performed as a last resort treatment option, a necessary procedure to ensure that your tooth is saved vs. losing it forever.
Root canals take 3-4 appointments scheduled 3-4 weeks apart. Each appointment ranges between 30-75 minutes. The appointments are spaced this far apart is because, although antibiotic paste is placed in the tooth, time is also needed to allow the body time to heal on its own naturally.
The main purpose of root canal is to remove the decaying or infected part of the tooth and then cleaning and sealing it to prevent any further decay or infection. If this process is delayed, the tooth can not only become more infected but can also result in loss of the entire tooth.
If you wait to have a root canal, you're only providing that infection more time to gain strength and spread. Infection can spread from the tooth into the bloodstream, and then you have a much more serious issue than a common and routine dental practice.
A Root Canal Counts As An Emergency Dental Treatment
A root canal is typically considered to fall under the umbrella of emergency dentistry. Tooth infections are extremely painful and uncomfortable, and they can cause serious complications if they are left untreated, including the death of the infected tooth.
The Consequences of Avoiding a Root Canal
If the infection is concerning and left untreated it can cause you to lose your tooth or part of your jaw or even lead to dental abscesses or a life-threatening stroke, sepsis, or heart attack. As the infection progresses so will the pain which will be excruciating.
Most patients can return to their normal activities directly after their root canal procedure. Patients should plan to rest the day of their root canal procedure, and most can return to work the very next day.
Without the defense, the sensitivity you feel becomes a pain. Therefore you must avoid hot and cold foods and beverages. It would help if you went brushing your teeth with warm or cold water to ease the discomfort. However, using a cold compress on your cheeks helps some relief.
A crown should be placed within a few months of the root canal, but it can take up to a year for your tooth's nerves to heal completely. A crown is a replacement tooth that covers the root canal.
It means that you need a dental crown to hold your tooth together. This will be determined during your first dental visit, allowing your dentist to create your dental crown installed on the second visit. To observe the success of the root canal procedure, dental experts take dental x-rays of the treated tooth.
Although the antibiotics minimize the swelling and the infection, it will not heal the tooth. Your symptoms may subside, but they will quickly return if the tooth is not treated with root canal therapy because the source of the issue has not been resolved, such as decay.
Non-removal of a dead tooth from your mouth is not wise because it can harm your remaining teeth and jaw, which is significantly dangerous. Depending on the extent and type of damage, the tooth may remain in your mouth for days, months, and even years before falling out by itself.
If your dentist has determined you need a root canal, you need not wait for too long before undergoing the procedure to clear the problem. Even if the pain disappears, it doesn't mean the infection is gone. Don't wait for too long, as you may lose a part of your jaw, which may necessitate reconstructive surgery.
Most root canals can be done in one to two appointments. The first appointment is the procedure itself when the infected pulp is removed. The second (and maybe third) appointment is when the root canal gets cleaned and filled with a crown or other filling to prevent infections.
A crown can be a beneficial final touch to restore your tooth after a root canal. However, crowns are not always necessary following a root canal. It is possible for your root canal to last for years to come without the addition of a crown.
Most dentists recommend you get your dental crown placed within 30 days of your root canal treatment.
Also, if you wait too long to get a permanent crown after the initial treatment, there's an increased risk of a bacterial infection. In such a case, you might need root canal retreatment to remove the infection again before placing a crown.
Although the root canal procedure is frequently referred to as being painful, this is not necessarily the case. The most painful part is often the infection. In fact, many patients often find immediate relief following the procedure.
Painful root canals are actually a myth. Even if anesthesia is not used, you shouldn't feel any pain during your root canal treatment. To be on the safe side, the dental professionals at Locust Family Dentistry use anesthesia to numb the tooth and avoid the slightest possibility of pain.
It turns out that getting a same-day root canal procedure is indeed possible. But the procedure is not available everywhere or for every patient. Some dental professionals are not equipped to fix the tooth in one day. And depending on the tooth's condition, it might be best not to rush the process.