ongoing damage. Root canal therapy can be beneficial if you have a damaged tooth that has become infected. If the tooth has had a lot of other procedures, that could also require a root canal. Root canal therapy is also very successful as a restorative treatment. A tooth repaired with a root canal can last for many years, even possibly a life time.
Does a root canal hurt?
Root canal therapy has a reputation for being painful. But it’s the aching that relates to the infected tooth that causes the majority, if not all all of the pain, not the treatment. Dental techniques have come a long way in the last several years which makes the root canal considerably less painful. In fact, in most cases, the procedure itself is painless as the patient gets numbed before procedure begins. Dr. Kindred at Kindred Dental can provide nitrous oxide (laughing gas) or oral sedation to keep you comfortable throughout the procedure. The actual root canal therapy can last anywhere from 1 hour to 90 minutes and take multiple visits. This will depend on the condition of the tooth and any complications that might be involved. After the procedure, the patient can go home but it’s important to follow the post-operative instructions from Dr. Kindred.
To find out more about root canal therapy, call or request a consultation online with Dr. Kindred at Kindred Dental.