“Why is my cheek swollen after a root canal?”
I went to the dentist for a tooth filling and as she cleaned the tooth my cheek felt very hot and swollen. A week has passed and they are swollen again but not too much. I don't know if it will recover. She said that the cleaning liquid had passed into my root canal. I have been taking antibiotics for a week now. I don't know what to do anymore..thank you.
Female | 21 years old
Complaint duration: 8 days
Medications: Antibotics
Conditions: Goodbut not totally recover
5 Answers
It's possible that you need an endodontist, a dentist who specializes in root canal therapy.
Please go back to your dentist. Have them check it.
Hello,
Sorry to hear about your discomfort and swelling. It is hard to figure out what happened when you were not there. Yes, what your doctor told you is certainly a possibility. There are two common reasons for swelling after a root canal. One is if the cleaning solution got past the end of the root of your tooth. The other is if there is an infection. It is important to know that during a root canal procedure the canal of the tooth is being cleaned of any nerve fibers, blood vessels, or bacteria. If bacteria got past the end of the tooth, it could cause an infection.
If some the cleaning solution does get past the end of the root canal it will normally make the cheek swell up (depending on what tooth it is). This usually happens right after the root canal (within hours to a day). The body is not used to having cleaning solution in it (no matter which one was used), this will cause a reaction by the immune system. The immune system has a few responses and the first one is the swelling of the area, which brings more of the immune cells in the blood stream to the area to fight off the infection. Once the solution is dealt with the swelling will go down and usually takes 7-10 days to go away.
On rare occasions it can take a little longer then 7-10 days due to a variety of factors. People with diabetes have a harder time healing infections, which takes longer.
If it is an infection from the bacteria, that is what the antibiotics are for. The timing of the onset of the swelling usually helps with diagnosis as swelling from the bacteria usually starts 1-2 days after the root canal.
It is important to know that it is impossible to be 100% sure of the cause of the swelling so the antibiotics are given no matter what. However, if the dominant bacteria change, then a different antibiotic might be needed to target that bacteria.
At 7 days it is advisable to see the person who did the root canal so she can see if you are healing properly or if the root canal needs to be cleaned out again. Hope this helps.
My best to you!
William F. Scott IV, DMD
Sorry to hear about your discomfort and swelling. It is hard to figure out what happened when you were not there. Yes, what your doctor told you is certainly a possibility. There are two common reasons for swelling after a root canal. One is if the cleaning solution got past the end of the root of your tooth. The other is if there is an infection. It is important to know that during a root canal procedure the canal of the tooth is being cleaned of any nerve fibers, blood vessels, or bacteria. If bacteria got past the end of the tooth, it could cause an infection.
If some the cleaning solution does get past the end of the root canal it will normally make the cheek swell up (depending on what tooth it is). This usually happens right after the root canal (within hours to a day). The body is not used to having cleaning solution in it (no matter which one was used), this will cause a reaction by the immune system. The immune system has a few responses and the first one is the swelling of the area, which brings more of the immune cells in the blood stream to the area to fight off the infection. Once the solution is dealt with the swelling will go down and usually takes 7-10 days to go away.
On rare occasions it can take a little longer then 7-10 days due to a variety of factors. People with diabetes have a harder time healing infections, which takes longer.
If it is an infection from the bacteria, that is what the antibiotics are for. The timing of the onset of the swelling usually helps with diagnosis as swelling from the bacteria usually starts 1-2 days after the root canal.
It is important to know that it is impossible to be 100% sure of the cause of the swelling so the antibiotics are given no matter what. However, if the dominant bacteria change, then a different antibiotic might be needed to target that bacteria.
At 7 days it is advisable to see the person who did the root canal so she can see if you are healing properly or if the root canal needs to be cleaned out again. Hope this helps.
My best to you!
William F. Scott IV, DMD
Discuss this with your dentist. You may need a different antibiotic. You would also benefit from ice usage on your cheek.
Given the time elapsed since the procedure I’d say the placement of the anesthetic is no longer an issue, If there was infected tissues present the medication should have improved the condition. IF the irrigation of the root canal passed outside of the confines of the tooth into the tissues then this might explain your symptoms. Your Dr should monitor closely and seek specialized input if no resolution
