Is Root Canal Treatment Painful?

If you are suffering from inflammation or infection inside one of your teeth, your dentist may suggest having a root canal treatment to save your tooth from needing to be removed and to also avoid the infection spreading which can cause further damage to your oral health.

It’s important to visit your dentist as soon as you begin to experience any of the common symptoms, including sensitivity to hot and cold food or drinks, pain in the teeth, tenderness or even swelling in the mouth. Although, as there are sometimes no symptoms at all, it’s important to regularly visit your dentist for a check-up.

In this guide, we explain what a root canal treatment is, why you would need one and what you should expect from the treatment at Perfect Smile Spa.

What Is Root Canal Treatment?

Root canal treatment is an important procedure which prevents a tooth infection from spreading through the root canal system. During the treatment, the canals need to be cleaned and the bacteria removed using special files. A root filling is placed to ensure the infection does not return so that the tooth can then be restored. 

The treatment aims to eliminate any infection in the affected tooth to then protect it from further damage, which, unfortunately, does mean that root canal treatments shouldn’t be delayed. For this reason, it really does help to be aware of the symptoms, even though they are difficult to avoid. Some of the common symptoms include:

• Loose teeth/tooth
• Pain when biting/chewing
• Pain when eating/drinking hot or cold food/drink

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s important to visit your dentist. Whereas, more advanced symptoms that are of a higher urgency and should be treated as an emergency include:

• Swelling of the face
• Swelling of the gum surrounding the affected tooth
• Pus oozing from the affected tooth
• Pain in the tooth which appears darker in colour

It’s important to understand that the longer you leave these symptoms and do not react, the higher the chance of further damage and even the tooth needing to be removed. If you are delaying visiting a dentist due to fear or anxiety, it’s crucial to also understand that root canal treatments are important in having a pain-free, healthy and long-lasting smile.

What to Expect from a Root Canal Treatment

As root canal treatments are a tricky procedure,  you may be referred to an endodontist who specialises in root canal treatments.

Your dentist will need to examine your teeth using an X-ray to identify where the pain is coming from and to find out if you require treatment. This X-ray will also show your dentist how far an infection has spread. This step is important as it enables your dentist to ensure a root canal treatment is best for you or to identify whether you require another treatment if your teeth are too badly damaged for root canal treatment.

How Long Does a Root Canal Take?

Root canal treatments typically take around two dental visits to complete, although this is dependent on how infected your tooth is, as you may only need one visit. 

The treatment usually lasts between 1-2 hours, however, this may change based on which tooth requires the treatment. Of course, timing will vary from patient to patient, but the timeline of your root canal treatment will be explained to you fully during your initial free consultation.

How Painful Is Root Canal?

Contrary to popular belief, root canal treatments aren’t as painful as they seem. As a dentist in Essex who offers painless dentistry, we aim to make dental treatments as pain-free as possible. Whilst root canal treatments are typically dreaded by many patients, our aim is to remove the fear associated with this treatment and make the procedure precise, quick, smooth and pain-free, in as little as one session.

With painless dental treatments held as one of our core values, we take our time to make sure every care is taken to make you feel comfortable and provide a positive dental experience that will help you defeat your dental anxiety and any fears relating to having a root canal treatment.

We’re even able to offer IV dental sedation as a means of relaxing you during the procedure to put you into a tranquil state of mind. Unlike general anaesthesia, you won’t be put to sleep, but you are likely to have very little memory of the treatment once it is complete. This method allows us to make root canal treatments as painless as possible.

There’s no need to worry if you’d rather not have sedation, as we ensure our dental clinic is the most relaxing setting possible. We can provide you with any spa treatments during your root canal treatment, with the option of music, films and any other refreshments of your choice. Our cosmetic therapist can provide facial and body treatments to put you at total ease during any of your visits.

How Can We Help?

Our dentists and team in Essex have advanced training in carrying out root canal treatments. We take our time to ensure that every care is taken to make you feel as comfortable as possible with our painless dentistry. This means that any dental treatment you have with us, including a root canal treatment, is as painless as possible.

Our dental practice is located in Essex and is easily accessible from most areas around the UK. For more information on our root canal treatments, please get in touch with us or call us on 01708 442 114.