Are Root Canal Treatments Painful?

Root canal treatments were painful in the days gone by when dental technology and anesthesia were not as advanced as they are currently. Presently root canal treatments are by and large comfortable and help relieve the pain you experience from an infected tooth to preserve it from extraction. Any myths you hear about root canal treatment pain is just a MYTH. Therefore if you are recommended this treatment because you have an infected root canal, you must welcome it because it saves your natural tooth.

The dentist in Calgary recommends root canals only after x-rays reveal you have incurred pulp damage due to a bacterial infection. Your dental pulp begins to die when it is infected by bacteria. If you have infected or inflamed pulp inside your tooth, you experience pain when biting or chewing and sensitivity to hot and cold foods and beverages. Your tooth might loosen, and the symptoms often disappear when the pulp dies. You may think your tooth has healed, but in reality, the infection spreads through the root canal system. The symptoms begin to recur, eventually resulting in pain when biting or chewing, swelling near the gums of the affected tooth, discoloration of the tooth and a dental abscess with pus. Therefore whenever you develop a toothache, you must contact your dentist to determine whether your pulp is infected because the pulp cannot heal itself without treatment.

The Root Canal Treatment Procedure

The process of getting a root canal is relatively straightforward. You can either have the bacteria from the root canal removed by undergoing root canal therapy or eradicate the infection altogether by getting the tooth extracted. The former option is recommended by most dentists because they think keeping your natural teeth intact is something you must look forward to.

Before performing a root canal, the Calgary dentist gives you adequate anesthesia to ensure you experience no pain during the treatment. The treatment itself is completed in one or two appointments, depending on which tooth is affected by the infection. For example, your front teeth have one canal each and root canals performed on them are completed in one visit. However, if you need root canal therapy on a molar having multiple canals, you require two appointments for the treatment.

After your mouth is numb, the dentist drills an access hole in the crown of your tooth if the treatment is for a molar or the back of your tooth if your front teeth need the treatment. The hole is to expose the infected or inflamed dental pulp inside the tooth for removal. After exposing the dental pulp, the dentist cleans it and the canals and disinfects the tooth. Next, the canals are sealed using a biocompatible material called gutta-percha, and the access hole is filled with a temporary filling. The dentist advises you to get the tooth restored with a permanent filling or a dental crown as soon as you can to restore it to full functionality after the treatment.

Discomfort After Root Canal Therapy

You undoubtedly experience some discomfort after undergoing root canals. The pain will likely remain with you for about a week but is comfortably manageable using prescription or over-the-counter painkillers for relief. During your recovery, you must avoid biting with the treated tooth until you have it restored by visiting your regular dentist.

You must avoid crunchy and hard foods requiring excessive chewing to prevent damaging the treated tooth. You can begin brushing and flossing the day following root canal therapy, remaining cautious to avoid the treatment area.

As your pain subsides, you can visit your regular dentist for your restoration either by a filling or a dental crown. A permanent filling undoubtedly serves the purpose. However, if you want to restore the tooth to its functionality and appearance, you benefit by requesting a dental crown over the tooth. Dental crowns are aesthetically pleasing and will remain over the treated tooth for five to 15 years by completely encasing the tooth.

Root canal therapy is undoubtedly better than enduring excruciating pain in your tooth from the infection affecting it. It is also a better option than getting the tooth extracted to search for replacement solutions costing thousands. The treatment costs fewer dollars than replacing your natural tooth, and the therapy succeeds in most cases except for a few. The pain you experience from root canals is because of the infection and not the treatment provided by dentists. Therefore, you must differentiate between root canals and root canal treatment because the former causes pain and not the latter.