The symptoms of root canal treatment and how the dental nerve is filled

Root Canal Symptoms, A root canal treatment is a procedure that has recently contributed to solving many dental problems and diseases. Therefore, dentists resort to it, and many patients accept it. There are some simple symptoms and pains associated with it, and in this article, we will learn how to relieve them.

Root Canal Symptoms

Root Canal Symptoms

Teeth are always prone to infection and bacteria due to consuming foods and drinks that may contain many microbes and germs, which in the long run cause inflammation, tooth decay, or exposure to fractures and cracks due to accidents. In these cases, teeth need root canal treatments to avoid further complications. Some symptoms indicate the importance of undergoing a root canal treatment for healing, and they can be mentioned in the following points:

1. Pain when consuming hot or cold drinks and foods.
2. Pain when moving the jaw for chewing or speaking.
3. Tooth mobility and looseness.
4. Gum swelling.
5. Jaw or face swelling.
6. Abscess formation.
7. Tooth discoloration and appearance of spots.

We will discuss these symptoms and their causes in detail in the following parts of the article.

How to Know if Decay Has Reached the Nerve?

There are no symptoms that indicate tooth decay alone, but there are also some symptoms that indicate that the decay has reached the nerve. It is possible to recognize them in the following points:

• Feeling pain in the jaw that increases at night.
• Pain in the mouth and inability to move it.
• Feeling pain in the filled tooth when eating, talking, or exposed to pressure in general.
• Inability to tolerate cold or hot drinks and foods.
• Feeling a throbbing sensation in the affected tooth.
• Headache.
• Severe ear pain.
• Severe gum swelling and inflammation.
• Loss of ability to concentrate.

Symptoms After Root Canal Treatment?

Root canal treatment is one of the most common procedures performed recently and is considered one of the simplest procedures performed by dentists in their clinics or medical centers, with a success rate exceeding 95%. There are symptoms that appear on the patient after root canal treatment. These symptoms may greatly help or be a clear and explicit indicator to know whether the procedure was successful or, unfortunately, failed, requiring medical intervention to identify the causes of failure and treat them as soon as possible to prevent the situation from worsening. Therefore, we will explain both symptoms as follows:

Symptoms of Successful Root Canal Treatment:

• Tooth sensitivity in the days following the root canal treatment to any cold or hot foods or drinks due to the inflammation of their tissues and bones, especially in cases of severe decay and infection before the filling.
• Inability of the teeth to withstand pressure, especially when consuming solid foods that require proper chewing and grinding.
• Feeling pain after the anesthetic wears off after the procedure and continuing intermittently for a few days or a week, or only when pressure is applied, and gradually disappearing after taking medication.

Symptoms of Failed Root Canal Treatment:

• Gum swelling or the appearance of pus-filled blisters.
• Tooth discoloration.
• Formation of an abscess in the filled tooth.
• Sinus infections.
• Persistent pain.

You can learn about types of tooth fillings and the advantages of tooth fillings in Egypt through this article.

How Long Does Root Canal Pain Last?

The modern methods recently used in root canal treatment do not cause any pain because dentists are careful to use high-quality sterilization tools that prevent any infection. The doctor prescribes some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs after the procedure to alleviate some of the effects of the pain that accompany some symptoms of sensitivity, which occur as a natural reaction due to the addition of the filling inside the tooth cavity. The major reason for feeling pain is the presence of a bacterial infection or some microbes, and the doctor prescribes the necessary antibiotics to eliminate them.

The Reason for Persistent Pain After Root Canal Treatment

The faster the healing between the tooth and the filling occurs, the sooner the healing process takes place, and the sooner the patient gets rid of the pain accompanying some symptoms of sensitivity after the root canal treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid some causes that lead to persistent pain after root canal treatment. We will mention these causes as follows:

1. Nerve inflammation after removing the decay from the nerve canal and sterilizing it with medical solutions.
2. Loosening of the affected tooth after the filling procedure due to the weakness of its tissues and bones caused by removing a large part of its cavity during drilling for cleaning from decay.
3. Cracking of the tooth to be filled due to its inability to withstand pressure during drilling during the filling procedure or biting and chewing food after the procedure, and it may be prone to breaking.
4. Feeling pain in the affected tooth.
5. Tooth inflammation or abscess formation. Are you suffering from tooth pain after filling? Get ready to smile without any pain at our dental care center!

What to Do After a Root Canal Treatment

The purpose of a root canal treatment is to obtain healthy teeth free from any infection or defects. Based on the technical steps of the procedure, in some cases, the patient may be given anesthesia, the effect of which wears off after two hours. However, the numbness, swollen cheek, and difficulty in speaking and swallowing may persist for the following 24 hours after the procedure. Therefore, the patient only needs complete rest and to drink enough water to compensate for their inability to eat during these hours. On the following day, any side effects resulting from the anesthesia will disappear completely, and the patient can start consuming soft, easy-to-chew and swallow foods to avoid putting pressure on the teeth. After a week or two, the patient will feel better and fully recovered, and they will be able to consume all types of food and resume their normal life.

When Do You Need a Root Canal Treatment

When Do You Need a Root Canal Treatment

There are some indicators that appear on the patient and indicate the need for a root canal treatment, requiring prompt consultation with a doctor for treatment. The following points explain these indicators in detail:

1. Persistent Pain: The patient’s persistent feeling of pain in the teeth, face, or jaws is one of the causes that disturbs them and affects their lifestyle. There could be many reasons for this, including gum inflammation, sinus infections, tooth infection, ineffective filling, tooth cracks, or fractures.
2. Sensitivity to Heat and Cold: Feeling discomfort when consuming warm tea or ice cream, and sometimes the pain persists even after stopping the consumption of hot or cold foods or drinks, which indicates the presence of an infection in the nerves of the teeth.
3. Gum Swelling: It is possible to feel swelling and pain near the affected tooth, and in other cases, no symptoms of swelling or pain may be felt. This condition may occur when consuming large amounts of citrus fruits. There are other cases where pus forms in blisters on the gums due to untreated infection in the affected tooth, causing bad breath or inability to taste foods and drinks.
4. Discolored Teeth: It is possible for the color of the teeth to change in case of root damage due to infection, cracks, or destruction of the internal tissues, and their color may turn black or gray. Although nerve damage is not the only reason for tooth discoloration, and there are many other causes, it is essential to visit the doctor to determine the cause and receive treatment.
5. Tooth Fractures: Fractures can provide an opportunity for bacteria to grow inside the tooth cavities, leading the infection to reach and damage the nerve.
6. Tooth Mobility: Infection or nerve damage can produce some acidic substances that affect the bones of the teeth and cause their erosion, weakening the stability of the tooth roots. “An innovative experience in dental care awaits you at our medical center, where we use modern and advanced tools such as 3D X-ray imaging and laser for precise and effective treatments.”

How is a Root Canal Treatment Performed?

A root canal treatment is performed to remove decay or treat tooth fractures and inflammation. This procedure takes place in a single session in simple cases and may take up to three sessions in slightly more advanced cases. There are fixed steps in a root canal treatment, although the number of sessions may vary for each patient. Let’s briefly mention these steps in the following points:

1. Anesthetizing the patient by spraying a local anesthetic on the affected area.
2. Drilling a hole in the surface of the tooth to be filled.
3. Removing the decayed content from the nerve canal in the root and all damaged nerve tissues.
4. Isolating the affected tooth from the surrounding teeth.
5. Cleaning the tooth cavity with water or medical solutions.
6. Filling the root canal with a temporary rubber filling.
7. Adding the permanent filling that supports the tooth and strongly bonds with its tissues and bones to withstand pressure when performing its function in the future.
8. Placing a crown on the top of the tooth to protect the filling and increase the strength of the tooth structure. Learn about the best types of root canal fillings and the cost of root canal treatment through this article.

How to Treat Persistent Pain After Root Canal Treatment

Root canal treatment is not painful; instead, it is performed using modern techniques that facilitate its completion with high quality. However, if the causes mentioned earlier in the article occur, the pain may persist after the filling. Nevertheless, there are several methods that can help treat persistent pain after root canal treatment, which are:

1. Medications prescribed by the doctor help speed up the healing process.
2. Avoiding putting pressure on the side where the tooth or molar was filled and preventing eating or chewing food on that side.
3. Adhering to cleaning the teeth with a toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss, or miswak.
4. Warm compresses to reduce the intensity of pain or swelling.
5. Visiting the doctor if the pain persists after the root canal treatment.

Preventing Tooth Pain After Root Canal Treatment

It is possible to prevent tooth pain after root canal treatment by maintaining tooth cleanliness and not leaving any food residue in the mouth, and being diligent about brushing before going to bed to avoid giving bacteria that cause tooth erosion an opportunity to grow. Additionally, it is important to avoid consuming foods high in sugars and acids excessively, as well as regularly taking painkillers and anti-inflammatory medications that accelerate the healing of wounds in the filled teeth, thereby reducing the accompanying pain.