Is a Root Canal very Painful?

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Dental Procedure - Is a Root Canal very Painful

Is a Root Canal very Painful?

Many people wrongly believe that a root canal is a very painful procedure. In fact, you should feel very little if any pain at all during this treatment with modern best practices for dental procedures.

Before beginning a root canal, your dentist will give you a local anesthetic to block any pain. Sedation is another option, if you prefer that method.

Either way, you should not feel pain during a root canal.

You may experience some mild pain and discomfort after the procedure is finished and the anesthetic has worn off. It’s usually managed with just over-the-counter pain relief medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

What is a Root Canal?

A root canal is actually done to treat and eliminate the pain of tooth decay, infection, or fractured teeth. It’s a deep cleaning of the canal, which is the inner chamber of the root of a tooth.

During a root canal procedure, your dentist cleans out the diseased or infected pulp from inside the root canal, allowing it to heal.

Why You May Be Sore After the Procedure

This cleaning requires your mouth to be open for an extended period, so your jaw muscles may be sore afterward.

The nerves and surrounding gums may also get irritated, leading to soreness and sensitivity.

Any discomfort should only last a few days. If it lasts longer, or is more severe, you should always let your dentist know. Infection from a root canal is rare, but needs to be treated if it occurs.

Do You Need a Root Canal?

If you have persistent pain, sensitivity to heat or cold, or a chipped, cracked, or loose tooth, tell your dentist about it.

These are some of the signs that you may have an infection or other damage affecting the root of a tooth.

And this is not something you can self-diagnose or treat.

Remember, a root canal is NOT painful, while not treating what's wrong most definitely can lead to ongoing pain and other complications.

Dr. Lovik Mirzaeian has helped many patients just like you find relief and healing with a root canal.

Contact us today to find out how we can help you, too!