Nowadays, dental issues like cavities, swollen gums, and discoloration have become common. Once you experience symptoms of these issues, you need to visit your endodontistto stop them from escalating.
A root canal is one of the most effectivemethods to treat severe dental issues when infectionor decay has reached the pulp. This procedure involves carefully removing infected tissue from your tooth’s center (pulp) while protecting your natural tooth.
Before carrying out a root canal procedure, your endodontist needs to prepare the operating room and administer topical anesthesia. After which, your doctor will carve, rinse, disinfect and seal the affected tooth. For these reasons, root canal treatment takes longer than restorations - also known as, fillings.
The amount of time needed to conduct a root canal procedure depends on various factors, including:
It is important to note that the entire procedure isn’t completed in one session. A root canal is part of a process where you’ll first start with cleaning out the area around the pulp which might even take several weeks to heal even when given antibiotics. Thereafter, a crown is placed in another appointment.
Often, a simple crown placement procedure requires one appointment that lasts for about 30 to 60 minutes. On the other hand, serious dental issues may take 90 minutesor more, and your endodontist may ask you to come for another visit.
When it comes to the type of infected tooth, canines and incisors take about 30 to 60 minutes since these teeth have one root making them easier to clean. Molars and premolars take 90 minutes or more since they have multiple roots.
The number of infected teeth determines the length of the procedure. If you have many infected teeth, you may spend more time in your endodontist’s office than a person with one infected tooth.
The root canal treatment procedure does not stop at sealing the tooth. You need to visit your endodontist again for cleaning and check-ups to ensure the treatment was a success and prevent reinfection. Therefore, if you have several infected teeth, the procedure will take a while, probably a few months.
While most people may fear root canal treatment, this procedure is not as painfulas you think. endodontists uselocal anesthesia to numb your tooth and the surrounding tissue to ensure you don’t feel pain during the procedure.
However, pain and discomfort is usually felt in the following days. To ease the pain, try one or a few of the options below,
For most root canal treatments, endodontists use local anesthesia to numb the area around the infected tooth. Therefore, you will be awake during the whole procedure.
However, if you suffer from dental anxiety or phobia, your doctor may sedate you. There are three common types of sedation used by endodontists during a dental canal.
Generally, root canal recovery takes about one week. Your endodontist can provide a list of foods that you’ll stay away from and will only recommend liquid or only very soft food diets for at least the first 24-48 hours.
If you want to speed up the recovery process, eat soft foods during the first few days after root canal therapy. If you eat hard or crunchy foods during this period, you may hurt your gums and aggravate the pain. With time, you can introduce the solid foods slowly until you feel comfortable.
Moreover, you’ll need to avoid chewing with the treated tooth. Otherwise, the temporary fillings may come off, leading to severe pain. To avoid this issue, try chewing with the opposite side of your mouth until your endodontist puts a permanent crown on your tooth.
Another way to fasten the recovery process is by practicing good dental hygiene, like brushing at least twice a day, but you need to be gentle when doing it and preferably use an extra soft toothbrush. Also, you may need to reduce the amount of sugary food you consume. This way, you will prevent bacteria from accumulating on the treated tooth and causing more pain or reinfection.
However, the recovery process is not smooth for everyone. Sometimes you may experience persistent or recurrent pain and swelling even after taking over-the-counter drugs. In this case, you need to visit a endodontist for further treatment.
Root canal treatment is an effective procedure that can help you deal with severe pulp infections when your endodontist recommends it. Although many people fear this procedure, it is not as painful as they think.
However, the recovery time after a root canal procedure varies according to the affected tooth or the severity of your problem. If you still have questions about the amount of time a root canal procedure takes, talk to your endodontist.
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