Does a Root Canal Hurt?
By Ryan Hoyt
The pain we feel when we've let our teeth continue to decay rather than going to get the filling at the dentist intensifies with time. Unfortunately, decay just keeps on eating through the tooth until it reaches the core. At the core of the tooth is a nerve running down from the middle through the roots and out the bottom inside the gum tissue. This pulp that resides in our teeth is the living breathing blood and nervous system that keeps our teeth alive and healthy.
Decay compromises this system and causes our teeth to feel pain as the nerve is exposed to outside and foreign objects like food and other substances. When you've reached this point it's time for a root canal procedure.
What is a root canal? Technically all teeth have roots and inside of these roots are canals that run the length of the roots. The procedure dealing with the removal of the nerve/pulp inside of the tooth and filling the canals with a pink latex-like organic material from tropical tree bark is what we refer to most often as a "root canal". This procedure is most likely what one intends to discover by reading further.
The root canal procedure does not hurt. The reason for this is local anesthetic that is used to numb the nerve and surrounding tissue so that there is no feeling in the tooth nor the nerve that is currently infected. This anesthetic lasts throughout the procedure and will help not to feel soreness as you recover from the procedure. Naturally the tooth starts out feeling pain and finishes feeling sore. The soreness is more of a muscle fatigue type soreness and not necessarily one of sharp pain or shooting pain like you felt before the procedure. Fortunately anit-inflammatory type medication can decrease the soreness and allow the tooth to recover rapidly.
The reasons the root canal procedure would be painful are due to the steps taken to complete the procedure. Many times a rubber dam is used to isolate the tooth in the mouth and make sure that the patient is comfortable and not worried about keeping their tongue away from the tooth or trying not to swallow anything. This rubber dam can cause some gum soreness as it is attached with a metal or plastic clamp at the base of the tooth and can make contact with the gums from time to time. While the total removal of the nerve from inside the tooth is completed, many times the nerve still attached at the apex or tip of the root is still affected by both the infection and the procedure of removal and may take a day or two to calm back to normal feeling again.
Rest assured, the sooner you have this root canal taken care of, the sooner your pain will disperse. The feeling during and after the root canal is definitely better than what you're feeling now, so make the appointment knowing that the worst is over.
The best dentist is also the one that is concerned most with the patient's comfort. Dr. Hoyt has completed many successful root canal procedures and does so in a timely manner with the least amount of pain. An expert in applying local anesthetic and a true gentle touch are key to your tooth's rapid recovery. Request an appointment today at Hoyt Dental to feel great once again!
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