9 Reasons For Pain After A Root Canal
Does the bad reputation of a root canal treatment make you reconsider the treatment option?
It is six times more common for people who have had a root canal to characterize the procedure as painless than for patients who have not.
Normally, the patient will not experience any discomfort during the treatment since the dentist injects a local anesthetic into the gums.
Nevertheless, for three to five days following surgery, pain after a root canal is common and can occur even with a flawlessly executed procedure.
This article will address reasons for pain after a root canal and the best strategies for root canal recovery.
Read more: 30 Signs You Need a Root Canal
Causes of Pain After a Root Canal
The pain after a root canal may continue for a few days.
Nevertheless, taking painkillers and drugs that reduce discomfort can help with this, or with time, it subsides on its own.
Here are nine common and rare situations that lead to pain after a root canal.
1.Bone Infection In Your Mouth
Imagine a perfect filling or crown is placed over the affected tooth after it has been thoroughly cleaned and sealed.
The person can still experience pain after a root canal. Are you thinking about what could go wrong in the situation above? Wait till we tell you.
If bacteria continues to hang around with the bone surrounding the root, the pain will last for quite some time.
Bacteria no longer have anywhere to hide when the tooth nerve dies. That means by removing the dead tooth and nerve completely, there is no source of the infection.
During the root canal recovery phase, your immune system may need support to eliminate the infection.
So, the patient can ask to be put on an antibiotic course to expedite the process and get rid of the pain after a root canal.
2.Root Canal Infection
Infection doesn't only target the bone; it won't leave any chance to spread on your root canal.
This aggravating circumstance arises when the filling leaks and salivary bacteria seep around the filler's margins.
Within a few days of entering the root canal, bacteria might cause an infection.
For this reason, following a root canal, many dentists cap the tooth with a crown.
But, it's not always the best option to deal with the pain after a root canal.
Cutting a tooth back to add a crown may weaken it much more than it currently is.
In instances where the condition of the tooth is good, the retreatment of an infected root canal is achievable.
If there is a break in the root or the tooth has broken below the gum line.
These cases make tooth extraction necessary.
To locate any type of infection in the mouth, the dentist will ask for a dental X-ray. Then, they arrange a dental crown and place it after carving off the enamel.
3.Presence of Excess Cement Particles
Dental cement can come from the filling site of the mouth after a root canal.
As this allows some of the material to seep out of the tip of the root, the tooth may become sensitive.
The specific filler material utilized, the amount that escapes, and its destination will determine whether or not this produces any pain.
There may be space for a small amount of extra cement if the root tip was infected before the root canal, and you won't even be aware that it was overfilled.
A High tooth filling is likely to cause pain after a root canal if the tooth is not infected around the tip of the root.
4.Neglected Infected Canal During the Procedure
Many canals exist in teeth, and some of them in molars are hard to find.
At times, a dentist may miss an infected canal, which would leave a tiny pocket or a portion of the nerve inside the tooth for bacteria to grow and cause an infection.
Your tooth will retain its pre-procedural sensitivity to heat and cold if a nerve is damaged.
A tooth that has an infection from bacteria will be pressure-sensitive. Bacteria can occasionally be found living in little areas at the very tip of the root.
Neither the pain after a root canal nor the bacteria will wipe out without any treatment. So, the patient may have to make up their mind about a second root canal.
5.Use of Anesthetic To Numb Pain
This is the most common cause of pain after a root canal and most dental procedures.
The local anesthetic used during the surgery to mitigate discomfort is a vaccine penetrating the gum tissues.
If you remember the sharp pinch on any parts of the body and the burning sensation afterward, you can expect the same soreness.
The tenderness in the tissues will cause tooth pain after a root canal surgery.
6.Sodium Hypochlorite Spill on Soft Tissues
A bleaching solution called sodium hypochlorite is used by the dentist to cleanse the dental roots during a root canal procedure.
This solution destroys germs, dissolves any leftover nerve tissue, and removes any slurry that may have accumulated.
When the area is numb, some solution may seep out of the root tip and cause pain after a root canal.
You may need to take antibiotics and painkillers for a few weeks for root canal recovery until the pain goes away.
Initially, the muscles will become sore and tender. Gradually, the mouth and face will return to normal.
Also, the bluish or red discoloration goes away naturally as well.
The patient can use cold and warm compression to reduce swelling.
Learn more: Tooth Extraction Vs. Root Canal: Exploring Treatment Options
7.Wrong Placement of the Crown
An individual may experience pain after a root canal if the final filling or crown is even slightly higher than one area.
It then strikes the opposing tooth with excessive force. Hence, the person feels discomfort while chewing and biting.
Even the slightest misfit can cause pain after a root canal that may persist for three to five days.
A dental checkup will help if you are experiencing the same condition to reduce root canal pain after 3 days.
A dentist can fix this simply by eliminating the high point on the tooth with a unique articulating paper.
With this paper, they determine the part that is hitting before the other parts of the tooth.
8.Placing a Dental Dam to Prevent Swallowing Anything
The process of a root canal treatment is detailed and needs extreme focus. Throughout the procedure, the dentist separates the affected tooth from the unaffected region using a dental dam.
The job of this instrument is to help the endodontist concentrate on the affected tooth and cover the rest.
As the dental dam sits in the patient's gum, they may get sore, with the patient complaining about pain after a root canal.
9.Treatment Done Wrong
A machine or human error in any treatment can lead to an unsuccessful treatment.
Likewise, if you are suffering from pain after a root canal, the reason can be the failure to perform the surgery.
Also, the second surgery after this treatment will be more complicated than the previous one, especially if you have other dental issues.
How to Stop Throbbing Pain After a Root Canal?
With our root canal recovery tips, you can make it to the list of satisfied root canal patients.
These are our easy-to-follow tips to reduce the pain after a root canal recovery:
Don't eat any food that requires vigorous chewing until you feel numb.
Depending on the pain after a root canal, take medicine.
Go to a reputable endodontist. An expert will talk you off the ledge and tell you the procedure for root canal recovery.
For adequate root canal recovery, visit the dentist if you suspect anything out of the ordinary.
A good oral hygiene routine guarantees speedy root canal recovery by reducing the chances of infections.
The dental filling may fall out if you eat sticky or hard food.
So, don't let such things hinder the root canal recovery process. Eat soft foods that are easy to bite and chew.
To get an organized list of food items you can eat to avoid tooth pain after a root canal when biting, here is our blog.
FAQs
Is tooth extraction recovery less painful than root canal recovery?
The root canal and postsurgical complications following tooth extractions are similar.
Is tooth extraction cheaper than a root canal?
You won't save any money by extracting the tooth either, as you will have to pay for the surgery and the implant that will take its place.
What is the best way for instant root canal recovery?
Over-the-counter painkillers to relieve any sensitivity or soreness is the most effective strategy for recuperating from a root canal.
Final Words
Last but not least, a root canal treatment doesn't have to be painstaking. A person can avoid most causes of pain after a root canal by consulting with an expert and providing excellent dental care.
If you have severe pain that doesn't seem to ward off, visit a dentist. After examining your teeth, they will tell you the cause and the future treatment to get you feeling awesome again.
For a smile-saving treatment and optimal care, KWC Dental uses new technology and anesthetics that offer maximum comfort.