A root canal is prescribed if your dentist needs to treat an infection in the deepest layer of your teeth, called the tooth pulp. Your dentist will drill into your tooth, extract the tooth pulp, fill the pulp area, and finally place a crown on the affected tooth to restore your bite. You may need to have a root canal if you have a cavity that has gone too deep into your tooth, or if you have a crack or chip in a tooth that bacteria and germs have gotten into and caused an infection.
In most cases, root canals are painless procedures safely performed millions of times a year. The first thing your dentist will do is anesthetize the affected area, ensuring that the area is thoroughly numb before beginning the procedure. The initial injection will pinch a bit, and you may experience some discomfort from the needle, but this feeling will quickly fade.
The rest of the procedure will proceed largely as described earlier: your dentist will drill into your tooth, remove the affected tooth pulp, and seal up your tooth with dental filling to protect it.
After the root canal, your first concern will be waiting for the anesthesia to wear off. Try to avoid drinking or eating until you can feel your lips, tongue, and cheek. After that, recovery usually takes a week. During that time, try to eat soft foods and avoid chewing with your tooth so that you don’t cause yourself more pain than necessary. Brush, floss, and use antibacterial mouthwash to keep bacteria at bay, both during your recovery and as a preventative measure in your everyday life. Now that you’ve had one root canal, try to do your best to not need a second one!