Root canal treatment for pulpitis
root canal · root canal treatment · tooth nerve treatment · toothache at night
Pulpitis is inflammation of the nerve inside a tooth. With numbing, the dentist removes the inflamed tissue, cleans the canals, and fills them.
For strong toothache, especially at night, a long reaction to hot and cold, or deep tooth decay.
⏱ Duration: one visit usually takes 1 to 2 hours; often 1 to 3 visits are needed
Be sure to tell your doctor
How to prepare
- Pain. Before the visit, you can take a painkiller that usually works for you. Tell the dentist what you took and when.
- Do not. Do not warm your cheek, and do not put pills or alcohol on the tooth.
- Food. Eat beforehand. After treatment, your mouth will be numb for a couple of hours.
What to bring
- Your ID
- Dental X-rays, if you have them
How it goes
- The dentist examines the tooth and takes an X-ray
- A numbing injection is given
- The tooth is isolated with a rubber sheet to keep saliva out
- The dentist opens the tooth and removes the inflamed nerve
- The canals are cleaned, rinsed, and measured
- The canals are filled right away, or a temporary filling is placed until the next visit
- A follow-up X-ray is taken
What you'll feel
- With numbing, it usually does not hurt, but you keep your mouth open for a long time
- If you feel pain, raise your hand. The dentist will add more numbing
- After treatment, the tooth may ache when you bite for a few days
Afterwards
- Do not eat until the numbness wears off
- Do not chew on that side if you have a temporary filling
- Come to the next visit on time
- After root canal treatment, a crown or a strong filling is often placed. Your dentist will advise
Contact a doctor straight away if
- Cheek swelling or a fever
- Pain gets worse after 2 to 3 days instead of better
Common questions
Why does the tooth hurt after treatment?
The tissues around the tooth react to the treatment. An ache when biting usually goes away in a few days.
Can I skip treatment if the pain went away?
Pain sometimes stops when the nerve dies. But the infection stays and can spread to the bone. It needs treatment.