Is Pain After a Root Canal Normal?

Root canals are a rather common type of dental procedure. They are also one of the most feared ones, but this is due to a stigma rooted in misconception and out-of-date dental practices. With modern techniques, root canals are nothing to be afraid of.

Most patients worry about the pain and discomfort they can experience after the treatment, or even the next day. However, the procedure is designed to heal your tooth and alleviate the pain of an infection.

But the question still remains: is it normal to feel pain after a root canal? Find out the answer in this short blog post.

Minor Pain Is Completely Normal After a Root Canal

During the root canal procedure, your Apex dentist will clean out all the infected tissue inside of your tooth. This can slightly irritate all the nerve endings and sensitive tissues of your tooth. A root canal involves using a special tool to clean out the canal of the root, which is extremely small and narrow. Some minor trauma is to be expected.

But after you get a root canal, your body will immediately begin to heal. Most patients will only feel mild pain and swelling in the first 1-2 days after the procedure, after which they go back to normal.

What If the Pain Persists?

While it’s rare, some patients might not be so lucky and recover from their root canal right away.

If you notice your symptoms persist for a few days, or are even getting worse, you should book a consultation with Sarah S. Barker, DDS at Cardinal Family Dentistry right away.

There are several reasons why your discomfort may be prolonged:

• Improper root canal procedure - If the first root canal did not remove all the infected tissue from the tooth, you may be experiencing some pain and swelling as the infection continues to affect your tooth;‍
• Infection spreading - Tooth infections can sometimes spread, which means that you may not be sensing pain in your treated tooth, but pain nearby;
• ‍Missed tooth cracks or chips - If the dentist did not notice a crack or chip in the tooth, it can allow harmful bacteria to get inside the treated tooth, leading to pain;
• ‍Subsequent damage - If you damage the tooth after the root canal, such as by biting down on something hard and cracking it, it can lead to pain reappearing.

Dealing with Pain After a Root Canal? Don’t Wait

If you recently had root canal treatment and are feeling a lot of pain and discomfort days or weeks after your appointment, don’t wait for it to go away on its own.

Sarah S. Barker DDS can help inspect the tooth and establish the appropriate treatment plan to restore its health.

To get started, book a consultation at Cardinal Family Dentistry online, or call our office at (919) 589-5001 to find out more.

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