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How long does it take to recover from root canal therapy?

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If you are experiencing pain in a tooth, it’s possible that you may need root canal therapy. This is a common dental procedure that is performed by Drs. Stanley Hirst and Bethany Jensen of Minot, ND at Broadway Family Dentistry. It can help preserve the tooth and alleviate pain and discomfort. However, it’s important to understand how long the recovery process will take, and what you can do to ensure a speedy and successful recovery. In this blog post, we’ll discuss root canal therapy in detail, as well as post-operative care instructions to help you recover quickly and without complications.

What is root canal therapy?

The first step to understanding how long the recovery process might take is the first step in learning more about the benefits of root canal therapy. Root canal therapy is a unique dental procedure used for the treatment of an infected tooth. The infection is eliminated by removing the nerves and blood vessels from the root of the tooth. This leaves an empty space in the tooth’s root that can be filled with a rubber-like material.

What to expect from root canal recovery

The recovery time after root canal therapy will vary depending on each individual case. In most cases, however, people report feeling much better within a few days after the treatment has been completed. It is important to follow post-operative care instructions closely from Drs. Stanley Hirst and Bethany Jensen in order to ensure a speedy and successful recovery. Some of these instructions may include:

  • It is normal for the area to be sensitive, though this should dissipate within a few days. Any discomfort may be addressed with over-the-counter pain medications.
  • Keep the area clean and free from food debris, though brush and floss as normal.
  • Take any prescribed medications as directed, including pain medications and antibiotics.
  • Call the dentist if any problems persist, including pain, swelling, and redness that does not resolve on its own.

Find out more about root canal therapy

Call Drs. Stanley Hirst and Bethany Jensen in Minot, ND to discuss your needs following root canal therapy. The office is located at 1839 South Broadway Street and can be reached by calling (701) 839-1299.

Root canal therapy as a way to treat severe tooth decay

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It is normal to have bacteria present in the mouth, but certain types of bacteria can cause serious problems. This includes the development of periodontal disease and cavities. Cavities are tooth decay that burrow into the natural enamel of a tooth and can become large and extremely deep. When this happens, it can result in an access point to the dental pulp within the tooth. Bacteria can enter and result in an infection that causes a severe toothache. In situations such as this, a filling alone cannot help. Instead, patients will need to treat the severe tooth decay with root canal therapy.

What is root canal therapy?

Drs. Stanley Hirst and Bethany Jensen describe root canal therapy, or “endodontic treatment,” as a procedure during which the dentist will access the inner areas of the tooth canals to remove the dental pulp. After this has been completed, the area is thoroughly disinfected to ensure no bacteria remains. Then the tooth is filled with gutta percha and composite resin bonding to seal it off. In most cases, our dentist may also place a dental crown over the tooth, as it can become weak, brittle, and susceptible to damage. This gives the tooth another layer of protection and strength to avoid future problems.

What happens if root canal therapy doesn’t work?

When done correctly, root canal therapy can be extremely effective in saving a tooth. However, there are situations in which it may fail, or root canal therapy will not be enough to save the tooth due to extreme damage. This situation may call for permanent extraction and replacement of the tooth.

Save your tooth with endodontic treatment

When a tooth suffers from internal decay, it doesn’t mean that extraction is the only fix. If you want to learn more about how to treat a tooth to save it with root canal therapy, contact the team at  Broadway Family Dentistry. Minot, ND area patients can obtain the best possible care with our dentists, Drs. Stanley Hirst and Bethany Jensen. Call our office at (701) 839-1299 to request a visit at our office, conveniently located at 1839 South Broadway Street.

woman smiling | Root Canal Treatment

Root canals myths debunked

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In the past, the mention of “root canal” made patients anxious and worried about a painful experience. However, there are myths that surround this procedure. Root canal therapy, also called endodontic treatment, is a procedure used to address infected teeth. It is often pain that brings patients into the office for treatment, not what causes them to have a bad visit with the dental staff. At Broadway Family Dentistry, Drs. Stanley Hirst and Bethany Jensen provide root canal therapy in a comfortable and pain-free manner to ensure patients maintain healthy smiles!

What is root canal therapy?

This procedure is performed by our team to maintain a natural tooth in place in a situation where the tooth may otherwise be permanently extracted. The dentist performing the procedure will access the inner canals of the tooth and remove the dental pulp, which is a mass of tissues that can become infected. Once removed, the canals are disinfected and the tooth is filled with gutta percha and composite resin bonding. The final step often includes the creation and placement of a dental crown over the tooth to protect and strengthen it.

Does root canal therapy hurt?

Absolutely not! Our team utilizes local anesthetics and sedation to ensure patients are comfortable from start to finish. This is a common misconception that the procedure is painful! We want our patients to know what to expect when they have their procedure performed, so we encourage individuals to ask any questions they may have prior to undergoing their treatment. Drs. Stanley Hirst and Bethany Jensen will ensure patients have a pain-free experience by utilizing anesthetics, sedation, and special techniques.

Why do I need root canal therapy?

Root canal therapy is the only option available for saving a tooth that has become infected. Without root canal therapy, patients will need to consider removal of the tooth and replacement options with their dental provider.

Call Broadway Family Dentistry today

Minot, ND patients considering comprehensive dental care with our team of dedicated providers are encouraged to book a consultation visit with our staff by calling (701) 839-1299. Drs. Stanley Hirst and Bethany Jensen are located at 1839 South Broadway Street and accept new and current patients.

Root Canals Shouldn’t Be Scary

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root canalRoot canal.

Wait. Why are you running from the room? Halloween’s over. Just the term is enough to give some people an anxiety attack. Maybe they watched the old movie Marathon Man one too many times (Is it safe?). Maybe it’s stories from your uncle back 40 years ago.

Whatever the cause, root canals need a new publicist! This procedure we use at Broadway Family Dentistry is really a tooth saver, and that’s a good thing because saving a tooth is always preferable to having to replace it. Plus, the modern root canal doesn’t involve any more discomfort than having a cavity filled.

The team at Broadway wants to clear up some of this fear of the root canal.

What happens to dictate the need for a root canal?

Every tooth has one or more roots that anchor the tooth into the jawbone. Nerves and blood vessels run through several tiny channels or “canals” in the root into the pulp at the center of the tooth. Sometimes, a cavity or fracture allows bacteria to penetrate through the enamel on the outer tooth, infecting the inner part of the tooth, the dentin. If the infection grows, the tooth can develop an abscess. Now the tooth is in a bad way, as the bacteria spreads down into the root canals and possibly into the surrounding gum tissue.

At this point, a root canal will be necessary to:

  • Minimize pain
  • Remove infected and dead tooth tissue
  • Reduce swelling
  • Get rid of all the bacteria and keep it from spreading
  • Salvage healthy tooth structure
  • Maintain function of the tooth

The root canal process

This is where people get the wrong idea about pain and root canals. When the interior of a tooth becomes infected, all of the sudden nerves are exposed. That equals serious pain. People project this pain onto the root canal procedure. Actually, the root canal is done to remove the cause of the pain!

Here’s what the Broadway Dentistry team does.

In a root canal, once you’re given local anesthesia, we drill into the infected tooth to access the infected pulp. We then diligently remove all the infected pulp, along with the tooth root (and all its nerves — the pain cause). Everything is thoroughly disinfected and then the now-hollow tooth is filled with a rubber-based substance known as gutta percha. A crown or filling closes the hole and you’re done. Plus, your tooth is saved, often for the remainder of your life!

How much does a root canal hurt?

The truth is a root canal procedure is no more painful than getting a typical filling. You read that right. Really the only pain is the slight prick of the initial anesthesia, along with some minor jaw aches afterwards due to having your mouth open. Remember, the root canal is what is going to get rid of the extreme pain caused by your infected tooth!

If you’re having some tooth pain, decay could have entered one of your teeth. Call us at Broadway Family Dentistry, 701-839-1299, to make your appointment.