How Long Does a Root Canal Take – Side Effects & Treatment

Infections are sometimes brought on by bacteria getting into the tooth pulp. When this happens, root canal therapy is required to save the tooth. Discover more about root canals, including their causes, symptoms, and duration.

30 to 60 minutes is how long a root canal procedure typically takes. A 90-minute wait time is possible for more complicated cases.

What is a Root Canal?

A pulp chamber located inside a tooth is known as a root canal. Pulp, nerves, and blood vessels are all present. These affix your tooth to your bone and gums.

Every root has a root canal, though some have more than one.

A root canal procedure is necessary to treat a root canal that has become infected or inflamed.

If the infection isn’t treated, it can spread to your body’s other teeth and organs. You’re more likely to experience worsened symptoms, like pain, and your tooth could turn black or yellow.

Tooth extraction is an alternative to a root canal procedure. However, you would lose the health advantages of your natural tooth and could experience more pain and expenses in the future.

How Long Does a Root Canal Take?

The number of root canal appointments needed will depend on the severity of the infection in your tooth. On average, a root canal takes about 30 to 60 minutes to complete. A larger tooth with multiple roots may require up to an hour and a half of treatment time.

A medication may be placed inside the tooth by the dentist in the interim between the two appointments to help prevent the bacteria from returning. The interval between the two appointments may differ based on the infection and the type of medication the dentist decides to use for your treatment. The second visit typically occurs one to three weeks after the first.

All of the aforementioned steps will be finished during one appointment if you are receiving treatment. The average length of a root canal appointment is between 30 and 60 minutes, but in cases where the procedure is more complicated, the dentist may need up to an hour and a half.

The kind of tooth that needs to be treated and the number of required root canals both affect how long the procedure takes. While molars and some premolars have up to three roots that may all need treatment, incisors, canines, and some premolars only have one root to treat.

What Causes a Tooth to Get Infected?

Common causes for root canal infections include:

• Cavities in the teeth that penetrate the pulp chamber and the enamel layer.
• Injurious bacteria can enter your mouth as a result of dental damage such as chips and cracks that expose the inner layer of your tooth.
• Dental trauma, even if no outward symptoms are present.
• Frequent dental procedures on a tooth.

How Should I Prepare for Root Canal Treatment?

Your doctor can address any inquiries you have about the procedure before starting the root canal. Here are a few things you can do to prepare for your root canal treatment:

• Take all medications as prescribed: A few days prior to your appointment, particularly if there is a significant amount of infection present, you might be prescribed antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs.
• Don’t smoke: The healing process of your body is hampered by tobacco products. Avoid smoking for a few days prior to your root canal appointment, and if you can, quit completely.
• Eat a healthy meal: Eating before your appointment is a good idea because the local anesthesia used during root canal therapy will cause your mouth to be numb for a few hours.

What Happens During the Root Canal Process?

Your healthcare professional will take dental X-rays of the troubled tooth before starting your root canal. This makes it possible to gauge the degree of injury and confirms that root canal therapy is the best course of action. Here are the steps that will be completed during your root canal procedure:

1. Anesthesia. The infected tooth and the gums around it are first made comfortable with local anesthesia. Medications like nitrous oxide, oral sedatives, and intravenous (IV) sedation are also employed in dentistry to help you unwind. If you suffer from dental anxiety, your doctor might suggest sedation.
2. Dental dam placement. A small rubber dam is placed over the affected area before root canal therapy begins. This keeps the tooth dry throughout the procedure and isolates it.
3. Access hole. The pulp is then accessed by creating a tiny hole in the tooth’s crown.
4. Pulp removal. The nerves, blood vessels, and tissues inside the tooth are removed using tiny dental tools.
5. Shaping the canals. Following the removal of the pulp, the pulp chamber and root canals are cleaned, sanitized, and shaped.
6. Filling the canals. A flexible, rubbery dental material known as gutta-percha is then used to fill the empty canals.
7. Sealing the tooth. The tooth is then sealed with a temporary dental filling to stop bacteria from reappearing.
8. the last restoration being put in place. A dental crown is typically required to protect the treated tooth and improve your bite. Crowns are made to order, and the creation process typically takes two to three weeks. The temporary filling is taken out when your permanent crown is prepared, and the permanent crown is then put in its place. You might occasionally be able to get a crown at the same visit.

Do Root Canals Hurt?

Many people worry about experiencing tooth pain following root canal therapy. However, the majority of patients experience immediate relief after treatment because the infection’s source is eliminated during the procedure. Call your healthcare provider as soon as you feel throbbing pain following a root canal.

What Should I Expect After a Root Canal?

Even though you shouldn’t experience severe pain following a root canal, you might experience sensitivity for the first few days. Painkillers, whether prescribed or over-the-counter, can effectively treat these symptoms, which are common. Most side effects disappear after one to two weeks.

What Happens If My Root Canal Fails?

Only 5% of all root canal procedures end in failure, which is extremely uncommon. In the event that your initial root canal therapy is unsuccessful, an apicoectomy or endodontic retreatment may still be able to save the tooth. The previously applied filling material is taken out, the canal is cleaned once more, and the tooth is filled and resealed during retreatment. By cutting through the tooth’s root, the infected tissue is removed during an apicoectomy, which is followed by root sealing.

Who Should Perform My Root Canal Procedure?

A general dentist or an endodontist (a specialist in root canals) performs root canal therapy. Since teeth near the front of the mouth have fewer roots, general dentists can frequently treat them. You might be referred to an endodontist if you require root canal therapy on a tooth with multiple roots or if your case is complex.

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