Why You Might Still Have Tooth Pain After Root Canal Therapy
Root canal therapy is one of the best methods offered by dentists to treat tooth decay. This procedure is very common and has a very high success rate. However, like any other dental procedure, there is a small risk of complications that can prevent you from healing completely. In this article, you will learn about some complications that could cause tooth pain after undergoing root canal therapy in Flagstaff.
What is a root canal?
A root canal is a dental procedure where a dentist near you drills a hole into your tooth to access the pulp. This is the central part of your tooth, which can become infected due to severe tooth decay. Once your dentist gains access to the pulp, they will remove all the infected and devitalized tissue and apply an antimicrobial solution to stop the infection and prevent any recurrences. Then, they will use a filling to replace the extracted tissue and seal the tooth. When too much tissue has been extracted, your tooth may require a dental crown to prevent it from breaking. However, this is normally addressed at another appointment.
What are the benefits of root canal treatment?
The main reason to acquire a root canal near you is to stop the infection. Once it reaches the pulp, it is much easier for it to spread. When patients fail to undergo this treatment, they tend to develop more complex and painful conditions such as a dental abscess. Relieving pain is also one of the biggest benefits of the procedure, considering how painful tooth decay can be.
Does root canal treatment hurt?
Before the procedure, your dentist will use local anesthesia to numb your teeth and gums. This will prevent you from feeling any pain. However, it is completely normal to feel some tenderness and swelling the days following the procedure. Your dentist will prescribe pain medication to relieve your symptoms. However, if after five days you are still feeling pain, you should visit a dentist in Flagstaff to rule out any complications.
What can go wrong?
One of the most frequent causes of tooth pain after root canal treatment is that your dentist used too much filling when sealing the tooth. As a result, the affected tooth sits taller than the rest of your teeth and this can cause some trouble when biting. This is the easiest situation to resolve since your dentist can just remove the excess filling and the pain will dissipate.
In some cases, when a dentist performs the procedure, they can overlook a tooth that has more than two root canals. When this happens, a damaged nerve may be left in the tooth and this can be the source of the pain. The solution to this problem is to perform a more comprehensive root canal treatment and extract all of the affected tissues.
Another reason why you may experience pain after a root canal is due to infection. Sometimes, despite your dentist’s greatest efforts, some bacteria and infected tissue are left in the tooth after sealing it. Your immune system can take care of this persisting infection for the most part. However, your dentist may prescribe some antibiotics to control it.
Finally, if your tooth still hurts days after a root canal, it could be due to the normal damage that is inflicted on the surrounding tissues during the procedure. In these cases, pain medication and a couple of days of rest are enough for the problem to go away. Nevertheless, you should always visit your dentist to ensure that the pain is not due to something more serious.