If you’ve recently had a root canal, you were probably expecting your procedure to alleviate the pain in your tooth, and rightfully so. However, sometimes treatment can fail, and your tooth may even feel worse or just as bad as it did beforehand. Here’s why this could be happening, and what you should do if it does!
What is a Root Canal?
A root canal is a treatment designed to remove the infected pulp from the inside channels (or root canals) within a tooth. Your dentist can then replace them with a synthetic filling known as gutta percha, place a crown over the tooth, restoring its appearance and function without allowing the infection to spread or require a tooth extraction.
Reasons Why Your Root Canal Can Fail
Although your dentist does her or his best to clear as much of the infected pulp away as they can, the tiny channels inside can be very difficult to access and see, and in some cases, can be missed. In these situations, you may require a root canal retreatment.
Other reasons you may be experiencing tooth pain following a root canal include:
- Inflammation in the gum tissue surrounding the treated tooth can sometimes occur following a dental procedure because the nerves surrounding it may have been irritated during the procedure. This is normal and should heal on its own within a few days.
- Because the instruments your dentist uses are small and so are the root canals within your tooth, sometimes he or she may accidentally injure or irritate them during your procedure. Thankfully, this discomfort should clear up on its own within several days.
- If you receive a temporary crown or filling while your permanent restoration is being crafted at a dental lab, you may experience some sensitivity if it is too high or not level with your other teeth. In these cases, you can request your dentist file down the temporary restoration to improve your comfort until you return for the permanent crown, or you can choose to leave it as is until your final prosthetic is ready if it’s not bothering you that much.
What to Do If Your Tooth Pain Doesn’t Improve
If you are experiencing any signs of an infection such as pain, swelling, fever, chills, nausea, or if your pain doesn’t lessen within about two or three days, contact your dentist for help. Additionally, if your temporary crown is loose or comes off, it is very important that you return to have it reattached, as it cannot protect your healing tooth if it’s not securely in place. In the meantime, be sure to follow your dentist’s aftercare instructions as closely as possible, as these will help reduce your risk of infection and help speed up the recovery process.
Remember, root canals are supposed to make your infected tooth feel better, not worse. Thus, if you are experiencing a resurgence in pain or have not felt any relief after about two or three days, contact your dentist so they can help bring back your healthy, pain-free smile!
About Our Practice
At Dental Designs of Maryland, our team of caring and skilled dentists understands that tooth infections can be extremely painful, which is why we do our best to make your root canal as comfortable as possible. In fact, we even offer CEREC Same Day Crowns so you can complete your entire treatment in as little as one appointment. To schedule an urgent emergency dental visit, call us as soon as you can at 410-931-9400.