Does a root canal hurt? What actually happens, step by step
The numbing, the two visits and the day after, from an endodontist who does them every week.
Most people who ask me this have already had the pain that a root canal fixes. The treatment itself is usually the easier part.
Before we start
We take an X-ray to see how many canals the tooth has and how far the infection has gone. Then we numb the area and wait until it is fully numb, which takes about five minutes. If you still feel anything, we add more. You should feel pressure, not pain.
Does a root canal hurt during the treatment?
We clean out the infected nerve, shape the canals and fill them with a sealing material. A front tooth takes about an hour; a back tooth can take 90 minutes, often split over two visits.
The day after
Expect the tooth to feel sore when you bite, for one or two days. A regular painkiller handles it. If the swelling grows or the pain gets worse after day two, WhatsApp us.
Why the crown matters
A back tooth that has had a root canal becomes brittle. Without a crown it can crack under chewing, and a cracked root usually means the tooth has to come out after all. That is why we plan the crown in the same written estimate.