How Long Does a Root Canal Take?

A popular question for a lot of dental procedures is, “How long is this going to take?” While the answer will vary depending on a lot of factors (especially the specific procedure), patients can expect certain procedures to take certain amounts of time (as long as there are no complications). If you are going to visit your dentist for a root canal, you may be wondering what the procedure involves, and how long it will take.

What Is a Root Canal?

The term “root canal” refers to a dental procedure called “root canal therapy.” This procedure involves the cleaning of the roots of a tooth that has become infected and inflamed.

Why Would I Need Root Canal Therapy?

Your dentist will do everything they can to save as much of your natural tooth as possible. Because of this, extraction is generally a last resort. By performing a root canal, your dentist may be able to repair the tooth—allowing you to keep most of your natural tooth. Beyond saving the tooth, though, the pulp needs to be cleared of infection to ensure the infection doesn’t continue to spread. An infected tooth can cause infection in the rest of the body that can be extremely dangerous. It’s important to have the roots of your teeth cleared of infection before it has a chance to affect the rest of your body.

What Are the Signs I Should Look For?

Having infected pulp in a tooth can be very painful, and can cause a pretty extreme amount of discomfort. If you notice that a tooth is beginning to hurt while you chew, the gums begin to swell or the tooth is just feeling uncomfortable overall, you may have an infection that needs to be treated.

How Long Does the Procedure Take?

The root canal therapy procedure may vary in time, and the amount of visits, depending on a variety of different issues—including the particular dental practice that you are visiting. While traditionally there would need to be one visit for the removal of infection and a second procedure for the filling of the tooth, nowadays many practices can perform both the canal treatment and the filling of the tooth on the same day.

The procedure itself is often between 30 minutes and an hour, but it may take longer depending on a variety of different factors, such as how many teeth are being repaired, whether or not the tooth will be filled the same day and so on. It is also important to understand that the anesthesia will not wear off immediately, and it may be at least 3-5 hours until you can feel the affected areas properly.

Inquire about root canal treatment at Iowa Dental Group today.

Interested in learning more about root canals? Read More : How Much Do Root Canals Cost?