Are Root Canal Treatments Painful?
Are you worried about your painful tooth? Do you have a sensitivity to hot or cold, have discomfort while eating, or have swelling or bleeding gums? Consider expert dentists in Green Tree Dental Chicago, USA, that helps you get rid of all your dental problems.
A root canal is the removal of infected material to help alleviate the root canal pain. Most of the root canal pains are due to infected or decayed teeth, cracked teeth, due to some trauma to the face, some dental procedures or large fillings.
Most people have some misconceptions that endodontic treatments cause pain. But there is no need to dread for getting this procedure done. It is because today is the age of modern technology and anesthetics. Getting a root canal treatment feels the same as getting a tooth filling done.
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When Do You Need Root Canal Treatment?
Notice the signs that may require root canal treatment:
- If you feel severe pain in the tooth while chewing or on the application of pressure.
- If you feel sensitivity when you eat warm foods or hot drinks or perhaps when you eat ice-cream or drink an icy-cold glass of water.
- When there is discoloration of the tooth, this might be due to an infection in the pulp of your tooth that can cause a change in the color of your tooth.
- When you have swollen gums near the painful tooth.
- A chipped or cracked tooth, due to some accident, builds bacteria and leads to inflammation and infection.
- If a tooth feels looser, that might be due to infection.
- If there is a small pimple-like bump on the gums near the area of teeth pain.
In all these cases, it becomes necessary to get root canal treatment done.
Are Root Canals Painful?
No, root canal treatment is a very successful and pain-free procedure. Many teeth fixed with root canal treatment last a lifetime.
How is Root Canal Treatment Performed?
It is carried out by dentists or endodontist over two or more appointments and involves following treatment steps:
1. Preparation
Before the procedure, the dentist may take a series of X-rays of the infected tooth. This allows having a clear picture and assessing the extent of the damage.
A local anesthesia is given to the patient, who numbs the area to have pain free experience.
2. Removing the Pulp
Root canal dentist places a dam (a sheet of rubber) around the teeth to ensure it’s dry during treatment and to prevent you from swallowing any chemicals the dentist uses. Then the infected pulp is removed.
3. Cleaning and Filling the Root Canal
After the pulp is removed from the root canal, the dentist cleanses and enlarges the root canal to make them regular shape so that they can be filled. The tooth is then sealed with temporarily filling.
This part of the treatment takes a couple of hours and requires a number of visits. The patient is prescribed antibiotics to manage and prevent any signs of infections.
4. Sealing and Fixing the Tooth
In the next visit, the temporary filling and medicine are removed and the root canal filling is inserted. This along with the filling seals the tooth and prevents reinfection.
The teeth which are filled inside the roots are more likely to break than healthy unrestored teeth, so your dentist may suggest placing a crown on the tooth to protect it.
However, sometimes a root-filled tooth may darken. If it’s died as a result of some injury like a knock to the tooth, the dentist can treat discoloration, such as whitening the tooth using chemicals.
5. Adding a Crown
Sometimes adding a crown becomes necessary. It is a cap that completely covers a real tooth. It is necessary to use a crown after root canal treatment to prevent the tooth fracturing.
After the treatment, the tooth is back to functioning and does not cause any pain. It is important to take good care of your teeth with regular brushing and flossing and see your dentist regularly to check the condition of your root canal procedure and any crowns or fillings.
Endodontic treatments are highly successful in saving a tooth that has been infected or damaged.
Visit Green Tree Dental Chicago for root canal treatment. The skilled dental experts will give you a wonderful and comfortable experience for getting your root canal treatment done.