How Long Does A Root Canal Take? – Diagnosis And Aftercare Of Root Canal!
How long does a root canal take? If this is something that you are searching for, you have reached the right place.
While this dental procedure has become increasingly popular, a lot of people are still unaware of how long it takes to get this dental surgery done. If you are someone who has been to the dentist and has gotten to know that you need to get rid of or infected pulp, this blog is for you.
Keep reading till the end to learn more about how long it takes for a root canal…
Contents
What Is A Root Canal?
Before telling you the answer to “how long does a root canal take,” it is best if you learn a little about what a root canal is in the first place. So here I go!
A root canal is a dental method or procedure that involves the removal of the center soft part of the tooth, which is called the pulp. The pulp of the tooth is made of tissues, nerves, and blood vessels. While this part of the tooth helps it grow, it can be difficult to bear the pain that is caused by the inflammation of an infection in the pulp.
And that is exactly when you go for a root canal. In this medical procedure, the crown or the top part of the tooth is removed momentarily to permanently remove the infected pulp. There are a number of things that can be behind the infection or inflammation of the pulp. Some of them are:
- Decay
- Cavity
- Cracked or chipped tooth
- Corroded tooth
- An injury that damaged the tooth
Now that you know what a root canal is, it is important for you to read this entire blog to learn about how long this medical procedure lasts and what is the aftercare of this procedure.
Keep scrolling to learn more…
Read More: Does A Root Canal Hurt? Is It Painful Or Not?
How Long Does A Root Canal Take?
Well, coming to the part that you were looking for — how long does it take to do a root canal? Well, the answer is not that simple.
Considering the fact that a root canal is a dental procedure that lets you get rid of the damaged pulp without damaging the natural tooth, it can take some time for the dentist to finish the procedure.
Generally speaking, a root canal can take anywhere between two hours to three hours to get done. While a lot of people might get it done in a single visit, there are cases when you have to visit your dentist twice.
It takes a lot of time for the root canal to get done. This is because, in this process, nerves are carved out and disinfected. Hence the process from setting everything up to the completion of the dental procedure might take you some time.
On the other hand, the time it takes for you to get your root canal done will also depend on a lot of other things. For example, the tooth that you are planning to get a root canal done on. Take a look at this:
TOOTH | DURATION |
Molars | 2 hours to 3 hours |
Premolars | 1 hour to 2 hours |
Canines | 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes |
Incisors | 45 minutes to 1 hour |
When Should You Get A Root Canal?
Now that you know how long a root canal take, you might be thinking about who are the people who get a root canal done. So this is the part that you need to read. When should you get a root canal done?
Root canal surgery is needed when the bacterias of the mouth or oral bacteria reach the pulp and infect it. This generally happens when a dental cavity is left untreated for a long time.
Here are some of the symptoms that can indicate that it might be time for you to get a root canal done:
- Extreme sensitivity to eating and cold
- Bumps on the gums
- Moderate to a severe toothache that does not go away
- Swollen jaws
- Swollen gums
- Loose tooth
- Pain in the tooth when pressure is applied
Aftercare Of Root Canal
So, now that you have done the root canal, what do you need to do?
Remember that you will feel the pain once the numbing medication or anesthesia wears off. You will be prescribed some over-the-counter medicines by the doctor that will help to deal with the symptoms and also the pain.
You will have to eat soft and liquid food the day you get it operated on. Make sure that the food is neither too hot nor too cold, as this might increase the pain. Contact your dentist if the pain does not go away or if it becomes unbearable even after taking the medicines.
Read More: What Are The Signs Of Infection After Root Canal? – Causes, Symptoms, Treatment
Frequently Asked Questions! (FAQs):
Now that you’ve learned most of the things that you were searching for about root canals, it is best to read some of these questions that people frequently ask about a root canal. Then, take a look at them to learn more.
Ans: While root canal treatment is not completely free of pain, the medical procedure only starts after anesthesia. This means that you won’t be able to feel much during the operation. However, it can get a bit painful as the effects of the anesthesia wear off. The pain generally goes away in two days.
Ans: A root canal is not a very expensive procedure. The money, however, depends almost entirely on the condition of the tooth as well as the type of tooth that needs to be operated on. In the United States, the charge for a root canal is mainly from $1,000 to $1,500.
Wrapping It Up!
A root canal is a dental procedure that involves the carving out of the damaged or infected pulp from inside the tooth. This procedure can take anywhere between 1 hour to 3 hours. However, it depends on the kind of tooth that needs to be operated on.
In case you want to get your root canal done and are searching for the answer to how long does a root canal take, I hope that this dental guide has been of help to you. If there is any other way in which I can be of help to you, feel free to write it down in the comment box below.
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- Most Common Dental Problems faced on a Regular Basis