When you have a condition that needs endodontic treatment, you will already have some degree of irritation of the dental and gum tissues. The root canal treatment itself can also cause some irritation. Therefore some root canal pain after the treatment, generally a moderate dull pain, is rather typical and definitely not worrying. Many patients experience a tender tooth for the first days after treatment.
Severe Pain after Root Canal Treatment
A mild dull post root canal pain, is rather common and definitely not disconcerting. But continued severe pain after root canal treatment may be a sign of complications.
Causes
If the pain after root canal is intense, this could be a sign of issues and possibly of a root canal failure. In about one percent of the cases additional treatment or even tooth extraction may be required to relieve the root canal pain.
If you wonder how it is possible for the tooth to harm after the tooth nerves have actually been gotten rid of, you ought to understand that it is normally the periodontal tissues that trigger the post root canal pain and not the treated tooth. The only exception is in cases of failed root canals when the tooth hurts since the nerves are not successfully removed.
As a general rule, the more agonizing a tooth was prior to treatment, the more likely it is that you will experience a stronger tooth pain after the root canal therapy. The most typical reasons for severe pain after root canal treatment consist of:
- Inflammation of periodontal tissues. The existing inflammation of the periodontal ligaments around the root suggestions of the infected tooth is the most common cause of tooth pain after root canal treatment. The periodontal tissues might be also get irritated by over extension of an endodontic file beyond the idea of the root throughout the treatment, in addition to by the requiring of debris and fluids beyond the pointer of the root throughout the cleaning of the root canals. The enhanced blood circulation throughout the recovery process of the gum tissues is another reason for feeling tenderness and tooth pain.
- Active occlusion— If the remediation has actually made the cured tooth longer that it must be (hyper occlusion), it might strike on the opposing teeth impacting regular biting and causing post root canal pain. The dental expert needs to correct the occlusion by reducing the tooth, so that it does not make contact with the opposing teeth, not just to stop the associated pain but likewise to safeguard the cured tooth from fracturing.
- In some cases the related symptoms might be only temporary and the tooth might not require any change. This can happen if there is still swelling around the root of the tooth during the first days after treatment. The inflammation may elevate somewhat the tooth beyond its typical height triggering a temporary hyper occlusion problem.
- Bruxism— Patients with bruxism issues may deal with root canal pain if they continue to grind or clench their teeth after the root canal treatment. The dealt with tooth that is already irritated by the infection and the treatment might become seriously irritated and uncomfortable, or perhaps crack under the forces of teeth grinding.
- Infection – Periapical abscess (concentration of pus and fluid at the pointer of the root). A new abscess might be formed as an outcome of a bone infection due to virus that were forced beyond the tip of the root prior or throughout the endodontic treatment infecting the jaw bone. The pressure on the tissues surrounding the tooth roots is increasing, causing pain and often swelling. The dental expert should be specific that the infection is fully removed prior to the tooth is brought back. If the infection remains it enhances the threat of post treatment pain and root canal failure.
- Sterile abscess – In some cases, another type of abscess may be formed by percentages of the fluid that is made use of to clean and decontaminate the canals pushed beyond the tip of the root throughout the root canals cleaning. As in the case of a periapical abscess, a sterile abscess can cause substantial post treatment discomfort. The dental professional should ensure that there is no fluid around the roots prior to completely filling the tooth. Failure to drain and correctly sanitize the periapical area might lead to severe post root canal pain.
- Ghost Pain. Another kind of severe pain after root canal are the so called ‘ghost discomforts’ which prevail after an amputation. When it comes to root canal therapy, the nerves inside the tooth are amputated. The patient may feel a ghost pain in the tooth for the very same factors that an amputee might experience pain in the fingers of an amputated hand. This kind of pain usually goes away on its own in a couple of days and it is no reason for concern. The problem related with ghost root canal pain is that it may confuse the dental professional if there is a root canal issue or not.
- Failed root canal. Tooth pain after root canal treatment that is extreme and does not disappear after a couple of days is not a typical symptom and it is usually a sign of root canal issues. A failed root canal should be believed if:
- you do not see an enhancement and remain to feel pain as prior to treatment
- post-operative tooth pain continues or gets worse
- you see signs of re-infection in the tooth such as swelling, fluid build-up or drain.
- the tooth feels really conscious cold
- the tooth feels normal for some days after the procedure and later on it begins to harm once more.
- The most typical causes of post root canal pain due to treatment problems are:
- A root canal is not cleaned properly. Infected tissue is left inside the tooth.
- The tooth is perforated throughout treatment allowing germs to go into the tooth, a possible issue when the root is curved.
- The root canals are not completely filled and sealed
- An instrument, normally a root canal file, is busted inside a canal.
Remedies for Severe Pain after Root Canal Treatment
The regular post root canal pain can be eliminated by taking a non-prescription pain reliever, usually an anti-inflammatory medicine like Ibuprofen. In some cases an antibiotic is also recommended to minimize the threat of a brand-new infection.
Occlusion problems ought to be fixed by lowering the dealt with tooth as quickly as possible to avoid additional swelling of the tooth that might lead to more complications.
If there are signs of infection antibiotics will be recommended. If an abscess is formed, post root canal pain can be relieved momentarily by supplying drain, however the treatment will more most likely have to be repeated.
In case of a failed root canal pain, a re-treatment and perhaps an apicoectomy are required in order to conserve the tooth. If neither proves to be successful a tooth extraction is needed. A stronger prescription pain medicine might be required for post root canal pain relief up until the tooth is re-treated or removed.
Prevention of Severe Pain after Root Canal Treatment
The root canal treatment may need several consultations until it is completed. The tooth can not be filled prior to the infection is completely eliminated. Under particular conditions you may have to handle some quantity of severe pain after root canal treatment between the dental visits:
- Follow your dentist’s instructions for post-operative care. Good oral health will assist in faster recovery. Take any prescription antibiotics according to your dental expert’s prescription.
- Right away after the root canal procedure, the tooth is tender. Eat soft foods for the first days and avoid to chew barely on the treated tooth.
- If the dentist has not yet put the last restoration, the tooth is fragile and it may break or fracture under pressure.
- If a temporary filling that is positioned to safeguard the tooth prior to consultations is lost, visit your dental practitioner immediately to replace it, otherwise the tooth might get re-infected resulting in added root canal pain.
- If you feel that your teeth do not bite effectively and the treated tooth hits on opposing teeth, visit the dental expert to repair it and prevent additional issues.
