ARE ROOT CANALS PAINFUL?

What is a root canal and is it painful? While many people are familiar with the idea of a root canal, and the pain they assume comes with it, they really aren’t familiar with what the procedure involves. If your dentist suggests a root canal is necessary, it may be worthwhile to do a little research to be informed of what lies ahead. Below is some information on the root canal procedure and what can be expected during the recovery process.

What is a root canal?

First of all, it is important to understand that the root canal procedure itself is not painful, and not the actual source of pain individuals refer to when they talk about root canal pain. The root canal procedure occurs over many steps. A root canal procedure is necessary when the center of the tooth, the root, becomes disease or damaged. A root canal can save a tooth that may be lost due to damage or disease. The goal of the procedure is to create an opening in the infected tooth and remove the damaged root.

During the procedure anesthesia is used to make sure very little discomfort is experienced while the dentist is in the process of creating an opening to the tooth and removing the damaged root. The majority of the pain experienced from a root canal is from the infected tooth PRIOR to the treatment. Once the dentist removes the infected tooth root, the infection in the tooth should stop and the majority of the pain should be relieved. Once the root of the tooth is cleaned out, the dentist will fill the tooth and make the tooth’s appearance match the nearby teeth.

Pain after the procedure

Once the root canal procedure has been completed and the diseased root has been removed, the source of the pain should be gone. After the procedure some residual pain and soreness to the area around the tooth should be expected for a few days. It is possible to have a conversation about this expected pain with your dentist prior to the procedure and they may have some ideas of ways to alleviate some of the pain and soreness.

Why not just pull the tooth?

The root canal procedure may seem like a lot of work to save a tooth, especially when extracting the tooth is another option. But the great thing about a root canal is the procedure preserves the natural tooth. A tooth that is extracted will need to be replaced with an artificial dental implant or a dental bridge. These artificial replacement tooth options are costly, involve additional dental procedures, and may result in more pain and discomfort. Most dentists will do their best to keep as many natural teeth as possible.

In the case of a sore or diseased tooth, the sooner you visit your dentist for a check-up the better. You do not have to have the pain and soreness you may be experiencing and the dental treatments available can help relieve that pain.

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