Root canal treatments (RCT) are not painful, today.

Root canal treatments (RCT) are not painful, today. 

Many misconceptions need to be cleared about it. If, the root canal is very badly infected only then, it may require more than one sitting to be completed. The second sitting is if a crown has to be fitted which is usually required after a RCT. My guide Dr. Samuel Shadrack 12 to 13 years ago at Manipal hospital, where he told me “if you’re tired, do the RCT another day. For if you do it, it should be your best as always.” “Relieve the pain of the patient even if you are tired” as told by my mentor Dr. Achuth M Baliga at Manipal hospital, old airport road, Bangalore, India. Both wise words have held me in good stead. 

Many times no antibiotics or painkiller need to be given after a root canal treatment. Sometimes you might have to take Dolonex DT 20mg one tablet or Crocin 500mg one tablet immediately after the treatment or for a couple of days. For a few patients there may be a slight tenderness for a couple of weeks. 

Now, getting to the only painful part could be the injection, which is like an ant bite and even that pain can be reduced by applying a local anaesthetic gel or spray on the area that’s going to be injected. The palatal injection that’s the upper roof of the mouth tends to be more painful during the injection so, needs to be given quickly and gently after the application of the local anaesthetic spray or gel. The full knowledge of the anatomy of the jaw for the injection site needs to be well known to the dentist giving the injection. If, the injection is not working properly, the dentist can give the injection in the maxillary region or the upper jaw and squeeze the injection with his thumb and forefinger, so that the injection can be nicely absorbed into the porous upper jaw or maxilla. While, if the injection doesn’t work on the mandible or the lower jaw, more quantity can be given and wait for ten to fifteen minutes for the injection to work. During the root canal treatment, if the tooth is badly infected and the injection is not working then, the tooth can be drilled and the injection can be given directly inside the canal of the tooth or intra-pulpally, which is like a small pinch for a second or two during the drilling and the injection. If, there’s an abscess or swelling or dead tooth no injection needs to be given. The root canal treatment is a mechanical process, which will get over from 15 minutes to an hour and a half depending on the difficulty level of which tooth is being treated front (anterior) or back (posterior) or calcified canals. The RCT on the latter will take a longer time. 

The only tiring part is keeping your mouth open while the dentist does his work removing the pain for which you have come to him. The success rate is 98% with only 2% chance of failure. If, there’s a failure there is still treatment options available in modern medicine or dentistry, such as, re-root canal treatments or extraction and implants. So, be calm and have a relaxed mind, since, an experienced dental practitioner is there to help you with all your dental problems.