How Long Does It Take to Recover from a Root Canal?

Root canals have gotten a bad name in dental practice. Many patients have a fear of root canals, and they have been the subject of many jokes, television shows and movies. While root canal treatments have a bad reputation, they may be the only way to save one of your teeth. Here’s more information about root canal procedures and how to best recover from root canal treatments in Chippewa Falls.

Things to Know About Root Canals

A root canal is a procedure dentists use to fix an infected tooth. Your tooth may have a cavity that you didn’t notice. Over time, small cavities can become large ones. Large cavities can eat away at the tooth enamel on the outside of your tooth until they get to the middle of your tooth, which is soft, and full of blood vessels and nerves. When a cavity gets to the middle of your tooth, it can be quite painful. If you don’t get the cavity treated, not only will the pain continue to increase, but you are in danger of losing your tooth.

At a Chippewa Falls dental practice, your tooth can be saved through a root canal procedure. Your mouth will be numbed so you don’t feel any pain. A dentist will drill into your tooth and remove the infection. Depending on how bad the infection is, the dentist may need to put some antibiotics into your tooth to treat it. Once the cavity is gone, the pulp of your tooth is replaced with material to keep the tooth strong. Usually, you will have to have a crown placed over the tooth to protect it from any further damage.

Recovering from a Root Canal

Your tooth will be numb for a while after your root canal is finished. You don’t want to eat right away, or drink hot liquids immediately after your procedure. Instead, you will need to follow your dentist’s instructions, and take pain medication. Usually, the pain medication will be over the counter, and you will want to take it as your dentist instructed. You’ll want to rest for the remainder of the day after a root canal and take it easy.

After your mouth is no longer numb, you can begin to eat. For the first few days after a root canal, eat soft foods. Chew on the side of your mouth that didn’t have a root canal. Also, be really careful when brushing the tooth after your procedure. Your tooth should be as good as new after a few days of care.