What Happens After Root Canal Treatment?
If you, like many people, express apprehensions when recommended root canal therapy for relief from the excruciating pain you feel in a specific tooth, thinking you will likely be overwhelmed with pain, you didn’t react wrongly. Misconceptions float around that root canals are painful and cause countless other complications when receiving treatment to alleviate pain from an infected tooth.
Root canals are the most effective option to eliminate tooth pain from infections within your tooth. Roughly 15 million root canals are conducted in America daily, enabling people to save their natural teeth instead of getting them extracted.
Many people needing this specialized treatment experience minor symptoms indicating the need for root canals. However, some prominent signs providing evidence that a root canal is inevitable include a dull and lingering toothache, tooth discoloration, sensitivity when chewing or biting, and swollen and bleeding gums. In addition, if you have untreated cavities or damage to your tooth, it might result in needing a root canal because your mouth bacteria infects the insides of the tooth to inflame the dental pulp. Therefore, when you encounter the signs mentioned above and visit the dentist in Pittston seeking a remedy for the discomfort, the professional recommends a root canal as the optimal treatment to eradicate the infection and preserve your tooth.
Root Canal Procedure Explained
Root canals aren’t as fearsome as the myths spread about them. In reality, the therapy is almost painless when undergoing because of modern anesthesia and dentistry techniques used by the Pittston dentist. Many people undergoing endodontics treatment report the treatment was no more painful than getting a standard dental filling.
During your procedure to eradicate dental pulp infection, the dentist examines the tooth, takes x-rays, and provides local anesthesia in the mouth to alleviate pain. The affected tooth is isolated by placing a rubber dam to keep it clean during the procedure.
The dentist creates a little hole in the crown of your tooth and uses flexible instruments to remove the pulp from its chamber and the root canals to shape the area for filling.
After cleaning and shaping the area, the dentist fills the root canals with a rubber-like biocompatible material called gutta-percha with adhesives to entirely seal the root canals. They also place a temporary filling to close the access hole in the crown to complete the treatment.
How Long Is Root Canal Recovery?
Recovering from root canal treatment differs for every patient. While some patients return to work or school after three days, others might require a week or more to recover from the procedure.
Following root canal treatment, you might experience sensitivity, swelling, inflammation, an uneven bite, or reactions to the dentist’s medications. You must arrange a follow-up appointment with the professional regardless of the symptoms.
Remaining in touch with the specialist is incredibly essential to monitor your recovery and have your tooth restored with a permanent feeling or a dental crown as soon as possible. The dental crown procedure requires at least three weeks after tooth preparation but is essential because root canal treatment renders your tooth fragile and prone to fractures.
What Should I Avoid after a Root Canal?
After receiving a root canal, you must follow the dentists’ advice stringently, including avoiding complex and chewy foods and remaining cautious around the area of the treated tooth to ensure you don’t disturb the temporary filling.
The dentist recommends not to smoke if you are accustomed to the habit because it increases the risk of needing another root canal. In addition, following root canal treatment must wait until the anesthesia wears off before starting to eat and drink to prevent the risks of injuries to your cheeks and tongue while your mouth is numb.
After you have your tooth restored, with help from your dentist, you can include your favorite foods into your diet but must continue maintaining the restoration of the tooth appropriately to prevent reinfecting the tooth to need intensive treatments again.
Root canal treatment is the only remedy to preserve your natural tooth affected by deep infections to the dental pulp. Saving your natural tooth is incredibly beneficial because it prevents the need for replacement solutions that become essential if you disregard the dentist’s recommendation to have root canals to alleviate the pain in your tooth.
Polit & Costello Dentistry provides many patients with root canals, helping them save their natural teeth. If you experience the symptoms described earlier, please do not hesitate to arrange a meeting with this practice to determine whether you need this tooth-saving therapy.