With modern anesthetics and techniques, most patients say a root canal feels much like getting a filling. Nitrous oxide and oral sedation are available if you would like extra help relaxing.
Signs you may need a root canal
- A persistent or throbbing toothache
- Lingering sensitivity to hot or cold
- Pain when biting or chewing
- Swelling or tenderness in the gum near a tooth
- A tooth that has darkened in color
- A pimple-like bump on the gum
What happens during treatment
After the tooth is thoroughly numbed, a small opening is made in the top, the infected pulp is removed, and the canals are cleaned, shaped and filled with a sealing material. Because a tooth that has had a root canal becomes more brittle, we typically recommend a crown afterward to protect it for the long term.
Common questions
Should I just have the tooth pulled?
Keeping your natural tooth is almost always the better and less expensive option. An extraction leads to drifting teeth and bone loss and usually requires an implant or bridge afterward.
How long does it take?
Most root canals are completed in one or two visits of about an hour each.
