Are Root Canals Painful?

Even though teeth are made of some of the most durable materials in our body, it is possible for them to break or become infected. When a tooth gets infected, the pain is indescribable, and it can be impossible to use the tooth at all—making it extremely hard to eat, drink, or even talk. A toothache is very hard to live with; you can’t function, and the pain can be unbearable.

These tooth infections are caused by bacteria. If you do not brush your teeth regularly and thoroughly, tiny particles of food remain lodged between the teeth and attract harmful bacteria. These bacteria attack the tooth and eventually find their way into your gums, causing a number of infectious diseases. If not treated properly, it can result in tooth loss.

There are a number of medications available to alleviate the pain caused by an infected tooth. However, these treatments deal only with the outer symptoms and should therefore only be used temporarily while you are waiting for a more permanent solution: a root canal. One of the most dreaded dental procedures, a root canal is actually nothing to be afraid of. It will, after all, save your tooth and stop the pain. It’s getting rid of the pain that you have been having in your tooth without having to lose it.

Perhaps most importantly for you as a patient, there is no pain while undergoing the procedure. There will be a little pinch while the dentist administers local anesthesia to numb the tooth and its surrounding area, but after that the anesthesia blocks everything out.

In many ways, the root canal process is very similar to getting a cavity filled. After the anesthesia kicks in, the dentist drills a hole in your tooth. The natural tooth filling (what is really infected and causing you pain) is removed. Once the inside is clean, the hole is then filled with tooth cement, protecting it from infection and bacteria. You will be able to go home immediately, although it will take a few hours for the local anesthesia to wear off.

If you are having a toothache because of an infected tooth and do not want to lose your tooth and ruin your smile, look into getting a root canal. It is often your only option. It’s nothing to be afraid of. In fact, it will stop the pain rather than causing it.