A root canal operation is much more likely to relieve pain than to create it, and it is typical to have mild to moderate discomfort for a few days thereafter. However, if your discomfort persists after this point, you should see your dentist.
If you experience extreme tooth pain after the three to five-day period, this is termed abnormal discomfort. There might be several causes of prolonged discomfort.
1. Post-Procedure Inflammation
Discomfort following a root canal is not uncommon, and inflammation is frequently the cause of post-procedure tooth pain. This inflammation might be caused by the manipulation of the tooth during the treatment, or by an infection that causes swelling in the dental ligament.
Fortunately, as time passes, this swelling tends to subside, resulting in a natural relief of discomfort in the days and weeks after the root canal.
2. Infection in the Bones
Even after all of the bacteria and decay have been removed from your tooth, there is still a danger of infection in your bone. This is due to the fact that our mouths contain both good and dangerous bacteria, and there is a possibility that germs may stay around the tooth's bone.
This bacterium might reach the bone and cause severe pain and inflammation. This form of illness can be uncomfortable, but it’s easily treatable.
3. Infected Root Canal
Your tooth might become infected even after a root canal. When this occurs, it is typically because a filling leaks, allowing germs from your saliva to enter around the margins of the new filling. Once the bacterium reaches the canal, it can cause an infection within a few days.
Because of this, most dentists will cap a tooth that requires a root canal with a crown rather than a filling. However, we want to help you save your teeth, therefore a crown may not always be the best answer.
If you have an infected root canal, antibiotics are usually not the best option. You'll most likely need to have the germs removed, either through another root canal procedure or tooth extraction.
4. Missed Canal
Your teeth have small holes packed with blood vessels and nerve fibers that offer nutrients and feeling. These are known as canals. Typically, each tooth contains one to four canals.
If a canal is missed, the nerve inside the tooth might create a pocket for germs, resulting in an infection. Patients may continue to feel pain even if just a little portion of the nerve survives.
Your tooth may also become sensitive to warmth and cold like it was before the root canal.
In these circumstances, if the dentist finds a missing canal, the root canal operation must be redone. The second root canal operation may be more intrusive since the problem is deeper than when it was initially detected.
5. Cement or Air Is Forced Through the Root Tip
Root canals can sometimes get overfilled with dental cement. This causes the substance to come out of the root tip. The amount of discomfort you feel will be determined by the filler substance utilized and the amount of escapes.
Your pain level may also vary depending on the state of your tooth prior to the root canal. If the root tip was infected before the root canal, there is usually room for a little extra cement, and you won't notice it was overfilled. Overfilling is more likely to produce discomfort following a root canal if the tooth was not infected around the root tip.
6. Oversized Crown or Filling
After receiving your crown or filling, you may notice that it is still difficult to bite down after three to five days. Your teeth may also be irritated and feel crowded. This commonly occurs when the crown or filling is too big for your mouth.
If your filling is still rubbing on your neighboring teeth, you will simply need to book a short appointment with your dentist. They will alter your filling or crown to make it more comfortable in your mouth.
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