Many patients who are anticipating a root canal treatment are afraid of the pain. They’re afraid of the pain of needles or of the drill or of any of the steps needed to fix an infected tooth. Most of these people are already experiencing tooth pain. The root canal treatment is designed to fix this pain, not to cause more.
Root canal treatments are needed for teeth whose roots are damaged by trauma or decay, causing the roots to become infected and inflamed. The infection causes pain. It is this pain you feel when you put pressure on the affected tooth. Your dentist performs a root canal treatment to relieve this pain and to prevent it from reoccurring.
The procedure itself is also painless. Your endodontist utilizes local anesthetic to numb the tooth and the surrounding tissue. Sedation dentistry such as laughing gas or a kind of conscious oral sedation may also be used to help calm you and put your at ease in the dental chair.
After the root canal treatment, the gums surrounding the treatment site may be a little sensitive. This effect is more prevalent in procedures involving abscessed teeth. Chewing on the opposite side of your mouth following treatment can help relieve this discomfort.
Over-the-counter pain relievers, especially those with anti-inflammatory properties, can be of great use during recovery. Ask your dentist what products are best for your use.
Don’t be afraid of your root canal therapy. Recent surveys have shown that patients who have undergone a root canal therapy are much more likely to refer to the experience as “pain-free” than those patients who have never experienced a root canal treatment. If you are one of the people in the latter category, and you’re putting off a visit to the dentist and ignoring symptoms of a bad tooth, don’t continue this behavior. See your dentist today and relieve your pain with a root canal treatment.