Sondra Lavelle Avant, D.D.S., M.S.

Yes it can be, but usually the tooth is just sore from being worked on. It can last for weeks up to a month and still be normal. There should be no pain with cold or heat however. Best of luck, Dr Sondra Avant

If it is a back or side tooth it definitely should have a crown after a root canal. Front teeth sometimes yes, sometimes no- it depends on why you needed the root canal to begin with. Best of luck, Dr Sondra Avant

The tooth will be sore to touching and biting for a few days to even a couple of weeks. Usually ibuprofen will take care of this. Have a great day Dr Sondra Avant

Hi,

Thanks for your question. Most of the time it is. The reason is that teeth that need root canals have usually been through a lot. Fillings, decay, breakage, All of these things weaken the tooth. Usually these teeth need support and only a crown will give that. The exception is a front tooth with no damage but has had a trauma like getting knocked very hard. Sometimes those don’t require support because they are intact.

Hope this helps,

Dr Sondra Avant

Hello, an infected pulp probably means you have an infection in the pulp space. This means you need to have a root canal to clean out the infection and the space. It should be treated as soon as you can. Sometimes they are painful, and sometimes they are draining. Sometimes you may not have any symptoms or even realize anything is going on. Usually, a simple root canal should take care of it. Most infected pulps do not require antibiotics. They could be inappropriate because pulpal infections aren’t like other infections in the body and often don’t really respond to an antibiotic.
So, the long answer is: Yes, they are serious and should be treated as soon as possible because they can do damage to the jawbone and cause pain and swelling at any point. And the correct treatment is a root canal if the tooth is in good enough shape to fix. Antibiotics may be a good addition to therapy, but don’t take the place of it at all in this case. Hope this helps.

Hi, a root canal on any tooth should be painless. You should be numb before the tooth is treated. Afterward, it will likely be sore to touch and tap on or bite on- basically anything that puts any pressure on it. Otherwise, it should be well taken care of with Ibuprofen or Tylenol. Thanks for asking, Hope this helps.

Thanks for the good question.

Pain is a very subjective thing and everyone experiences it differently. If you think your pain is abnormal or unmanageable you should contact your dentist. Most of the time you can expect some soreness, especially to pressure. For example biting, tapping, pushing. ESPECIALLY if the tooth was hurting or sore beforehand. If you are having pain immediately after the root canal, it is probably a result of inflammation. If you can take NSAIDS such as Advil or ibuprofen 600mg every 6 hours, it is very effective. If you can’t, start with Tylenol products
Often, the gums are irritated and can ache or throb after a root canal. Rinsing with warm salt water 3-5 times per day to keep it clean and Orajel or Anbesol around the tooth will be more effective than oral medication. In a small number of cases, post-op pain can be more severe. You should contact your dentist for advice on how to deal with it. Post-op pain should start to improve in 3 days or less if you have a normal immune system. It could take as long as a month to get back to completely asymptomatic. The majority of patients are comfortable within a week. Post-op pain that gets worse instead of better after 2 days can be an important warning sign of an infection. Be sure to contact your dentist ASAP if whatever post-op pain you have gets worse after a couple of days instead of improving.

I hope this helps,

Dr. Sondra Avant

Hello,

The site can be sore for up to a week and be a normal thing. It is a puncture wound and they heal well, but some are quicker to get comfortable than others.

Hope this helps,
Dr Sondra Avant

That can vary for lots of reasons. The size of the tooth removed, the incision size, the type of tissue around the tooth, and whether the patient has medical issues that impede healing such as diabetes or a smoking habit. It can range from 1-3 weeks on average. Most sutures will resort on their own, but some do need to be removed. Hope this helps

It really varies. It depends on which tooth it is and if there are other factors like if it is very calcified or extremely curved roots or very long roots. It can take anywhere from half an hour to a couple of hours. Most root canals can be completed in one visit but some require two. It also depends on who is doing the root canal. If a specialist is doing the root canal it will be much quicker and take less time and appointments than if a general dentist is doing it for you.

Diplomate of the American Board of Endodontists

Usually, it is safe to eat after 30 minutes as long as you avoid gun or crunchy or hard foods like chips or carrots. Obviously you should wait to chew until you can feel your tongue or cheek to avoid biting them and having soreness when everything wakes up.