Root Canal Treatment Pain: Is It A Fact Or A Myth?

Did you know that you will need a dental treatment at least twice in your lifetime?

You might think that brushing your teeth every day will make you avoid the dentist for the rest of your life. However, there are parts of your mouth that you can’t easily access using your regular dental products. Soon, you will develop a cavity or infection without seeing your dentist regularly. That’s why there are still patients who need root canal therapy. 

What is root canal therapy?

Inside the tooth, some nerves and tissues run inside the roots and provide sensation and nourishment to the tooth, keeping it vital, strong and preserves its light colour. It is important to protect these tissues from infection to safeguard the tooth, and therefore, they are embedded deep in the roots. Unfortunately, infections can still happen in several ways if pathways are created for bacteria to reach the roots and infect the tissues. For example, if a dental cavity gets deep enough, it will reach the tissues in the roots and irritate them, causing nerve pain. This is when your dentist may recommend canal therapy.

Signs that root canal therapy is necessary

Here are more signs that you might need root canal therapy:

• Cracked or chipped tooth
• Tooth sensitivity when having hot food or cold drinks
• Discoloured and swollen gums
• Painful gums due to pimple-like bumps

Root canal therapy process

The procedure is as follows:

1. Numbing the infected tooth using a local anesthetic
2. Creating a hole on top of the tooth for access
3. Removing and clearing the decayed or infected tissues
4. Rinsing inside the tooth then sterilizing to kill the bacteria
5. Making sure the tooth is clean by taking an X-ray of the tooth
6. Applying a filling inside the roots where the nerves used to be and then a white filling to seal the hole we created.

Generally, the root canal process takes less than an hour to finish. However, if the case is complex, it could take more than an hour every visit. You can expect to have two trips to your dentist to complete your root canal therapy. You may also receive your permanent restoration on your final appointment. 

Is a root canal painful?

The root canal treatment is no more painful than a typical filling or tooth removal process. You might feel pressure on your mouth or gums, but it is nothing that you can’t tolerate. 

This is the purpose of anesthesia that your dentist administers before the actual operation. It numbs the area of the affected site so you can relax on your dentist’s chair and they can work on your tooth smoothly. 

Some dental clinics also offer sedation therapy. This is a method to help patients reduce their anxiety over dental treatments. Depending on the patient’s anxiety level and the severity of the dental problem, the dentist may use nitrous oxide, pill, or injection. 

These options are safe and suitable for most patients unless you have an existing medical condition or allergic reaction that could complicate. It is best to talk to your Fairview dentist regarding these matters.