The short answer: they don’t have to be. Thanks to modern techniques and local anesthesia, root canal therapy is often no more uncomfortable than getting a filling.
But let’s take a closer look at what to expect — and when pain might signal a problem.
🦷 What to Expect During a Root Canal
If you’ve been told you need a root canal, don’t panic. The procedure is done to remove infection from inside the tooth, relieve pain, and save the natural tooth.
Most patients feel little to no pain during the procedure, especially when performed by an experienced dentist. We’ve been providing root canals in Riverview, FL since 1999, and patient comfort is always a top priority.
😬 What About After the Root Canal?
Post-treatment discomfort is normal and usually follows a predictable pattern:
- Day 1–2: Mild soreness or sensitivity around the treated tooth
- Day 3–5: Pain may gradually increase, peaking around days 5–6
- Week 2 and beyond: The pain should steadily decrease
- In some cases, mild discomfort can linger for up to 6–8 weeks — this is still within the range of normal healing.
This pain is often due to inflammation in the surrounding tissues, not the tooth itself. As your body clears out the inflammation, the pain should resolve on its own.
Medications common prescribed for pain are:
- Tylenol 3
- Ibuprophen 800
⚠️ When Pain Is a Sign of a Problem
While some discomfort is normal, severe or persistent pain may mean something isn’t right. Two common complications include:
- Short Fill: The root canals weren’t filled all the way to the tip of the root
- Missed Canals: One or more canals were not treated during the procedure
These issues can allow infection to persist and require further treatment. That’s why follow-up care and communication with your dentist are essential.
In some tooth extractions, particularly wisdom teeth, a small piece of the root (called a root tip or fragment) may break off. While this can sound alarming, it’s not always dangerous. When is it OK to leave a root tip? Small (2mm) , uninfected tips near sensitive areas (like nerves or sinuses) may be intentionally left in place if removal poses more risk than benefit. When should it be removed? If the root is large, infected, or causing pain or swelling , it should be extracted by a dentist or oral surgeon. Leftover root fragments can lead to infection, pain, or delayed healing if not properly managed. What to do if you’re unsure: Ask your dentist for post-op X-rays. Seek a second opinion if you have ongoing discomfort or weren't informed about a retained root.
A root tip should not be left behind if: It is infected or shows signs of decay It causes ongoing pain , swelling, or delayed healing It could interfere with future dental treatments, such as Orthodontics or dental implants
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If a tooth is knocked out, it's a dental emergency requiring immediate action. First, try to put the tooth back in its socket, then seek emergency dental care as soon as possible, ideally within an hour. If you can't put it back, keep the tooth moist by placing it in milk or saliva, or a tooth-saving solution. Detailed Steps: Locate the tooth: If possible, find the tooth that was knocked out. Handle the tooth carefully: Pick up the tooth by the crown (the chewing surface), not the root. Rinse gently: If the tooth is dirty, rinse it briefly with water or milk, but avoid scrubbing or removing any tissue attached to the root. Reinsert if possible: If the tooth is still loose, gently try to put it back in its socket, ensuring the root-side is facing the gums. Keep the tooth moist: If you can't put it back in the socket, keep the tooth moist by placing it in milk, your saliva, or a tooth-saving solution. Seek emergency dental care: Go to your dentist or a nearby emergency dental clinic as soon as possible, ideally within an hour of the injury. The tooth will have to ridgedly fixated for several weeks 6-8 or more done with heavy wire bonded over several teeth.
A chipped tooth can be caused by stress cracking or just a sharp blow to the tooth. As long as it's minor like in this picture it can be fixed with composite. If it goes into the nerve chamber of the tooth it will require a root canal and crown. Chipped teeth have symptoms of increased temporary sensitivity to air, hot cold fluids, or any that's chewed into the area. It will be a sharp pain that quickly (within a second goes away). The reason for this is dentinal sensitivity. When the outer enamel layer is chipped off into the dentinal layer it exposes the open tubules of dentin that communicate with the nerve directly. Its important to get a chipped tooth repaired quickly because a slightly aggravated nerve in a healthy state can become irreversibly aggravated over time requiring root canal crown due to bacterial contamination of the tubules.
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Porcelain fused to metal crowns (PFM crowns) are metal crowns with a layer of porcelain fused on the metal. This makes them almost as durable as pure metal crowns but a lot more esthetic. PFM crowns used to be the most popular crowns in dentistry for a long time. They are still used today, but nowadays ceramic crowns are preferred, especially for front teeth restorations. PFM crowns are more affordable than all-ceramic crowns. Even though they are not as esthetic as porcelain crowns they are still good candidates for back teeth restorations. They are used on: posterion teeth conjuction with partial dentures when durable metal rests are needed
-Severe tooth pain while chewing -Your tooth pain wakes you up at night -Teeth that are highly sensitive to hot or cold, with the sensitivity lingering for some time. -Discoloration or darkening of the tooth -Swollen gums in the area of the infected tooth
