How Can a Root Canal Treatment Cause My Face to Swell?

Root canal treatment involves removing an infected or inflamed pulp to alleviate pain. The pulp comprises blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue.

A root canal is also called endodontic therapy. This procedure relieves pain and saves your tooth. It may take one or two appointments, depending on the severity of the tooth infection.

We will look at what happens during a root canal and how it can cause facial swelling.

What Happens During a Root Canal Treatment?

Endodontic therapy is done in a dental office. It’s performed in several steps, which include:

1. 1. Anesthesia

The dentist gives you local anesthesia to numb the affected tooth and the neighboring gums. You will be awake the entire time, but you won’t feel any pain thanks to the anesthetic.

Medications such as oral sedatives, intravenous (IV) sedation, or nitrous oxide can help you relax. A dentist may suggest sedation to patients that struggle with dental anxiety.

1. 1. Removing the pulp

The dentist makes a small opening in the tooth’s crown. Then, the dentist removes the damaged or infected pulp using special tools.

After removing the pulp, your dentist may use a topical antibiotic to cover the area, which helps to make sure the infection is gone and keep it from recurring.

1. 1. Filling the root canal

This step involves cleaning, shaping, and decontaminating the hollow area with irrigation solutions and tiny files. Next, your dentist fills the tooth with a rubber-like material (known as gutta-percha) and seals the canals with adhesive cement.

1. 1. Placing a restoration

At this point, the tooth is fragile. Therefore, a dental crown or filling is necessary since it offers protection and restores its bite.
After installing the filling or crown, the tooth will work like before.

Who Needs a Root Canal?

You may need a root canal treatment near you if the pulp of your tooth has an infection, injury, or inflammation.

The pulp can become damaged due to deep decay, a crack or chip in the tooth, or a tooth injury.

The symptoms below may be a sign that you need endodontics treatment:

• Persistent tooth pain
• A cracked or chipped tooth
• Pimple on the gums
• A loose tooth
• Swollen gums, cheek, or jaw
• Darkening of the gums
• Sensitivity to hot or cold
• Tooth discoloration

Do you need a root canal? Stop by Springhill Dental or schedule an appointment with us.

Is Root Canal Treatment Painful?

Most people are afraid of getting this treatment because they have the notion that it’s painful. That is not true; this procedure is painless. The dentist gives you a local anesthetic to alleviate the procedure’s pain.

After the treatment, it’s normal to experience some tenderness or soreness. It goes away after a few days, and you can use pain medication to relieve it.

How Can a Root Canal Cause Facial Swelling?

After a root canal, your face can swell due to an abscess or tooth infection. Sometimes the swelling can be painless, but it can also be accompanied by symptoms such as pain, tenderness, and sensitivity.

An abscess can develop at the tooth root if the antibiotics fail to work or if there’s any infected material left behind.

If you experience swelling after endodontic therapy, you should call our dentist in Calgary. That can be an indication of a failed root canal.

What Happens After Endodontic Therapy?

The tooth and gums may feel sore and swell when the anesthetic wears off. Your dentist can give you some medication to help with the symptoms.

You should avoid chewing or biting with the treated tooth. Instead, use the other side of the mouth to chew until you get a permanent dental restoration.

You can return to school or work the following day after the procedure. However, it may be good for you to take an extra day or two to recover if you were sedated during the treatment.

After a root canal, it’s advisable to wait until the effects of the anesthetic to wear off before you eat.

After a root canal, try to eat soft foods such as mashed potatoes, yogurt, and pasta for the first days.

It’s important to brush and floss after root canal treatment; it helps to keep the area clean. You can also use mouthwash to keep away germs.