What To Expect When You Need A Root Canal

Have you been told that you need a root canal? Are you feeling apprehensive about what you'll be facing during and after the procedure? Oral surgery has been a cosmetic staple for decades, so much so that you may be expecting the procedure to be difficult and uncomfortable. Fortunately, in the hands of a professional, the reality should be far from what you might be thinking if you watch a lot of television. Here are some of the things that you should know about or can expect in regards to your root canal:

Before appointment: If your dentist has referred you to a specialist for your oral surgery, make sure that you have all of your paperwork with you when you arrive for your appointment. While some modern dentists can email X-rays and other information to the specialist, it's still often easier and faster to simply hand this information to you for you to take it to your appointment. So make sure to keep track of everything that your dentist gives you since the specialist will need to see it before he or she can treat you. Also, make sure to bring any proof of dental insurance or insurance paperwork with you as that doesn't automatically transfer over either.

During appointment: Some patients opt for full sedation during oral surgery while others prefer using just a localized anesthetic. Whatever choice you made when setting up the appointment, discomfort should be minimal and there should be no pain. During the procedure, the specialist will drill into the tooth and will remove the damaged or diseased nerve and tissue within. He or she will then fill the empty space with an inert material before adding a filling to the tooth to restore it to its natural appearance. 

After appointment: Once your oral surgery is done, there should be minimal pain involved. If the tooth was infected, the surrounding gum tissue may still be a little painful and inflamed for a time. However, the tooth itself should cause little to no pain. Often, the discomfort after surgery can be relieved with simple over the counter medicine, rather than the prescription painkillers that you may have been using before the surgery. If you opted to be sedated during the procedure, you'll need to have someone else drive you home. Otherwise, if you had a local anesthetic, you should be good to drive yourself home.

For more information, contact local professionals like Renovo Endodontic Studio.