Is a root canal painful? Since patients are given anesthesia, a root canal isn't more painful than a regular dental procedure, such as a filling or getting a wisdom tooth removed. However, a root canal is generally a bit sore or numb after the procedure, and can even cause mild discomfort for a few days.
In the popular imagination, a root canal is a painful, stressful, and uncomfortable procedure. But this is actually quite far from the truth. In reality, root canals are completely painless, and are actually the best way to get relief from the discomfort of a damaged, infected tooth.
Discomfort Should Last No More Than 3 Days
In cases where patients do feel residual pain once the anesthesia wears off, the pain should last no more than 3 days. Pain following a root canal is typically manageable with over the counter pain medication such as ibuprofen(Advil, Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol).
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.
How long does root canal recovery take? Typically, root canal recovery time lasts less than a week. Mild discomfort may be present for a few days, but this can be managed with medication. If you have severe pain or discomfort that lasts longer than a week, call your healthcare provider.
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.
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.
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.
Though no more painful than getting a filling done for a cavity, many people fear getting a root canal because they've heard that they are painful. In reality, the most painful part of a root canal is the pain you are experiencing before the procedure is performed.
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.
Root canal treatments can vary in cost mainly due to insurance and location of the infected tooth. In general the further back in your mouth the more difficult the RCT and the more expensive. Root canal costs can be anywhere from $300 to $900 (or more if you see an endodontist).
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.
Because a tooth that needs a root canal usually has a large filling or is weakened from extensive decay, a crown or other restoration usually needs to be placed on it. A crown can help protect the tooth from future damage and return it to normal function. It will also prevent it from breaking.
Cons of Having a Root Canal
Dentists have to drill through the tooth in order to get to the pulp, and additional decay might have to be removed. If the tooth is too weak to function, the dentist will add a crown to it, which will strengthen the tooth and allow the patient to use it like a natural tooth.
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.
Is a root canal painful? Since patients are given anesthesia, a root canal isn't more painful than a regular dental procedure, such as a filling or getting a wisdom tooth removed. However, a root canal is generally a bit sore or numb after the procedure, and can even cause mild discomfort 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.
Final Verdict: Save the Tooth if Possible
In addition, healing from an extraction takes longer and is often more painful than healing from a root canal, and pulling the tooth means even more dental procedures and healing time to replace it later. Still, pulling the tooth might be right for some situations.
In most cases, root canal therapy is a better way to treat an infected tooth than an extraction. However, there are exceptions, such as if the tooth has suffered extreme damage. Your dentist will carefully analyze your oral health before making a treatment recommendation.
Typically, a root canal procedure requires one or two visits. Each visit can vary between 30 to 90 minutes on average.
Fillings
When you get a dental filling, we remove the decayed tissue and fill it with either amalgam or composite resin to strengthen and protect your tooth. The process is quick and, yes, virtually painless.
If you're trying to choose between the two options and wondering “which is more painful, a tooth extraction or a filling,” removing a tooth results in a longer period of discomfort compared to a filling procedure.
What is the Typical Age for Root Canal Treatment? There is no specific age for root canal treatment. If any individual is experiencing a severe tooth infection, they may require root canal therapy in Yellowknife. However, it is more likely for an individual to require root canal therapy between the ages of 12 to 65.
Root canals are relatively standard procedures, regardless of who conducts them. Similar to a filling, root canals are typically a same-day, in-house procedure that can take place in your regular dentist's office.