Root Canal Recovery and Pain Management: What’s Normal vs. Not?

A certain kind of horror surfaces when patients lie in the dentist’s chair and hear the word ‘root canal’. Call it being downright scared or just intimidated, but that’s how the majority of patients react when the term root canal is brought up. And if we dissect this situation a bit, we’d realise that it’s not the procedure itself that feels scary (as it’s performed under anaesthesia) but the root canal recovery aspect, as it’s unfairly associated with pain and discomfort. That’s what makes patients feel intimidated.

Sounds relatable? If yes, let’s burst your scary little bubble: root canal treatment is nowhere as painful as you perceive it to be. It relieves sheer pain emerging from an almost dying tooth and saves that tooth, if anything! Some pain and discomfort are natural (and in fact necessary) in the recovery stage, though. But thankfully, it can be easily managed if you practice proper aftercare.

One thing you have to be vigilant about, however, is if the pain prolongs or worsens beyond what’s normal, for which you first need to know what’s normal vs what’s not. And we’re here to educate you about it! Read on to know everything about root canal treatment, recovery and pain management.

Understanding Root Canal Treatment: What It Is and How It’s Performed 

So, what’s a root canal? Objectively speaking — and this is some necessary context most patients lack — a root canal is a morphological structure in a tooth. It’s a hollow space inside the root of a tooth which contains dental pulp (a soft, mushy, thread-like tissue composed of nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue). The pulp is actually the deepest, innermost layer of the tooth so technically it’s kind of secured and shielded from the external visible parts of the tooth. 

However, that doesn’t make it impervious to damage. It may get infected or inflamed due to deep decay, trauma, a crack or even repeated dental issues, resulting in extreme pain and swelling. This is where the ‘root canal treatment’ (shortened to root canal for ease of use) comes in! It’s a treatment that removes infection or damage from the pulp — from within the root canals — thereby saving a tooth that might have otherwise developed a sheerly painful abscess around it. Or even worse, would have died altogether.

Root canal treatment literally salvages such a tooth from such a miserable condition and restores it to health. Here’s how the treatment goes:

• Dentists first assess the extent of damage to the pulp via xrays and other diagnostic methods
• The entire area around the affected tooth is numbed so the treatment goes pain-free
• A narrow opening is drilled into the crown (the external visible part of the tooth) which is then deepened to access the root canals
• The infected/inflamed pulp is carefully removed from the root canals. The canals are then cleaned and reshaped using fine dental tools
• The root canals, which are now clean and empty, are filled with a synthetic, rubber like material called ‘gutta percha:. This seals the canals to the brim, preventing reinfection 
• The opening made in the tooth is closed with the help of a temporary or permanent filling. 

An artificial crown may or may not be placed over the filled tooth depending on its strength

Root Canal Recovery: How Painful It Actually Is?

You’d be surprised to know that the fear surrounding root canals is more of a reflection of fear mongering (propagated either by people who themselves never got it done or by those whose treatment developed unusual complications) than reality.

In reality, a root canal is no more uncomfortable or painful than getting a cavity filled. All thanks to modern disinfecting techniques and anesthesia.The only real pain you’d experience is ‘after’ the treatment — when anesthesia wears off and healing kicks in.

This pain is essentially due to the recovery of the underlying tissues, and is only mild to moderate in intensity. It’s also accomplished with other healing symptoms, including:

• Tenderness (particularly when chewing or touching the tooth)
• Mild swelling around the treated tooth
• Soreness 

These slightly discomforting symptoms and pain can easily be managed by over the counter painkillers (which your dentist will specify based on your case intensity and medical history). Make sure to take the painkillers as and when prescribed; stay ahead and don’t wait for the pain to peak. 

Moreover, refrain from chewing on the treated side and avoid extremely, hot, cold or spicy food for the first few days. Keeping the treated area clean after treatment matters a lot too, as it’d speed up recovery, but you need to be very gentle with it.

How Long Is The Recovery?

Given you diligently follow all the above-mentioned root canal after care tips, you can have a smoother recovery than expected. You might be able to return to your normal daily routine within a day or two, though full tissue recovery might take a few days to a week at maximum.

What’s Considered Normal After Treatment Vs What’s Not?

A very important question indeed! Most people only interest themselves in knowing about the post-treatment pain, symptoms and their duration. They forget that healing isn’t always black-and-white, and at times you may experience symptoms that you might not have heard of, which may justifiably make you anxious.

At the end of the day successful healing is a matter of identifying what counts as normal (and taking the necessary steps to manage it) vs what doesn’t. Here’s what is considered normal:

• Mild to moderate soreness around the treated tooth which may persist for a few days and feel particularly prominent when biting down
• A little swelling/tenderness in the gum tissue near the treated tooth
• Feeling unusually fatigued after the treatment 

On the contract, here’s what’s not normal (and needs attention):

• Throbbing pain that doesn’t seem to improve or worsen with time, even after taking medication 
• Swelling that spreads to your face or neck
• Fever or chills after treatment 
• Pus or discharge around the tooth 
• A feeling of pressure or misaligned bite

If you experience any of these symptoms, report them to your dentist promptly. 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, there’s absolutely nothing to be afraid of in the root canal treatment, definitely not the pain part. The pain, along with the healing symptoms, is all slightly discomforting at worst — and patients don’t even feel it as compared to the sheer pain they were in before the treatment (which the treatment has successfully relieved).

If you’re undergoing tooth pain lately and want to get your tooth assessed, you may schedule a FREE consultation at Dental Care And Implants, a premium dental practice located in Texas, USA. Talk to our team of endodontic experts and pave your way to a healthy and pain-free smile!