The short answer of how long does it take a root canal to heal is less than a week but that can depend on each case. Some may feel some sensitivity and discomfort for a month or longer. That shouldn’t worry you unless you start to feel more pain than normal. You should contact your endodontist or dentist if that happens.
Understanding a Root Canal
A root canal removes infection in the tooth’s pulp at the base of the tooth. This typically involves a cavity. The dentist will clean the cavity and drill into the top of the tooth to get to the pulp, also called the tooth root. They use small devices to remove the infection. Then they reshape the root area and fill it with a material called gutta-percha. It’s a biocompatible material that has a rubbery texture. It fills the space previously occupied by the infected pulp so bacteria can’t re-enter the root.
All of these will cause some soreness in the gum and root that require healing. Those with a higher tooth sensitivity will feel it longer than others. The process is completed when the endodontist puts a crown over the tooth to prevent bacteria from re-entering where the drill opens the crown up. In some cases, the endodontist may put in a temporary crown until a customized permanent crown can be made. Some dental offices offer customized crowns crafted on site that can be installed in the same appointment.
Factors Affecting Healing
Four factors affect how quickly your gum and tooth root heals after a root canal. They are the person’s health, oral hygiene, complexity of the root canal, and the severity of the infection.
The patient’s health has a significant impact on how quickly their root canal heals. Diabetics and others with chronic illnesses are going to take longer to heal. Those with compromised immune systems are going to heal more slowly than those in optimum health.
Typically, those with ongoing health problems are going to be required to get permission from their primary care doctor or specialty doctor before a root canal is done. Your medical doctor may be able to advise you better on what to expect for a healing time.
Patients who don’t maintain proper oral hygiene like brushing twice daily, flossing, and using mouthrinse, are going to take longer to heal. Reducing the amount of bacteria with oral hygiene helps quicken healing. Your endodontist may have other suggestions for improving oral health after getting a root canal.
Some root canals are going to be more complex. That can happen for several reasons but revolves around the severity of the infection and the person’s health. A lengthy root canal is likely going to require more time to heal. Most root canals take about an hour to perform but some can take longer if there are complications.
Related to that, the severity of the infection affects healing time. There is a chance of severe infections causing complications during a root canal procedure. That will likely require more time to heal.
Aftercare for Root Canals
The healing time for a root canal can be affected by how well you take care of yourself afterward. Your endodontist will probably give you an antibiotic to keep your tooth and gum from getting re-infected, along with some pain medication. Be sure to complete the antibiotic protocol to enhance healing.
Taking your pain medication can also help healing because you will want to keep up with nutrition and oral hygiene. You can enhance healing by paying special attention to your oral hygiene to keep the area clean and following your dentist’s instructions. You should also quit smoking to quicken healing.
Eating soft foods while you’re healing will help your mouth feel better and enhance healing. Those who continue to feel pain after a week should consult with their dentist or endodontist.
Staying Out of Work or School
A root canal shouldn’t keep you out of work or school past the day of the procedure. Most can return the next day but those who are sensitive to pain may want to take an extra day off.
Are you concerned about getting a root canal? We can answer your questions! Call us or schedule an appointment online today so we can address your specific case.
