Is a Root Canal Painful?

The image that comes to most people’s minds when they hear “root canal” is a painful procedure that can be put off. In reality, a root canal is an extremely important procedure that needs to be taken care of immediately to reduce the risk of further damage to the tooth and the patient’s overall oral health. Root canal therapy also isn’t anywhere near as painful as what many people believe it to be. In fact, it’s much more painful to avoid the procedure and continue to live with an infected root pulp.

Below is more information about what root canal therapy is, the process and why you should have root canal therapy performed if you have an infected root pulp.

What Is a Root Canal?

A root canal cleveland tx (also known as “root canal therapy”) is an oral healthcare procedure that involves the treatment of a dead, damaged and/or infected root pulp. This treatment helps the patient to avoid further oral health issues, and extraction of the tooth.

Root Canal Pain

Root canal therapy actually isn’t very painful at all. Most patients notice minimal discomfort when having their infected root pulp treated. This is because anesthesia is used—along with modern dental instruments. What really causes pain in an infected tooth is a lack of treatment.

As the tissue becomes more inflamed and infected, the pain becomes worse. In order to stop the pain, root canal therapy needs to be performed.

Root Canal Therapy Procedure

A root canal begins with a trip to the dentist either for a regular visit or for a consultation. Often times a dentist can treat any decay that could lead to a root pulp infection by diagnosing the decay during a regularly scheduled checkup. This avoids the root pulp infection entirely; which makes it advantageous to visit the dentist every six months for a cleaning and checkup.

If during a checkup or consultation your dentist discovers that the tooth is damaged, they will likely take x-rays to check the tooth. If the tooth is damaged and the pulp is infected, your dentist will perform root canal therapy.

Anesthesia will be used to ensure there is minimal pain or discomfort during the procedure. Your dentist will then create an opening so they are able to better reach the root canals. Next, they will clean out the canals and remove the infected pulp. Once the infected pulp is removed, they fill the canals and seal the tooth.

Speak with Your Dentist

If you are experiencing any sort of pain in a tooth, or if you notice sensitivity or discoloration, set an appointment with your dentist for a consultation. They will take a look and diagnose the issue. If they have determined that you have a root pulp infection, make sure to set an appointment for root canal therapy as soon as possible. The earlier it is cared for, the easier the procedure will be—and the less pain you’ll need to endure.

More About Root Canals : What is the Root Canal Procedure?