How Much is Root Canal Recovery Time?
Root canal treatment is actually a final treatment that is rendered to the patient as a last ditch effort to prevent the possibility of tooth extraction procedure. Thus, while doing root canal treatment, it is important for both, the dentist and the patient, to be very involved in the procedure so as to ensure that it is a success. The normal recovery period is around three to four days, provided there are no complications involved. Ideally, the person will, at the most, feel a bit of sensitivity in the tooth but he should not feel any pain.
Factors Affecting Recovery
Lack of knowledge about treatment and the recovery period that follows makes many people cringe, upon experiencing slightest possible delay, in recovery time. In such circumstances, being aware of the factors influencing recovery period can be of some help for the patient.
Condition of tooth
The condition in which the tooth was indicated for treatment plays a very important part in determining the healing time. If the tooth was greatly carious and had a periapical abscess, then there are chances that the recovery time will increase considerably. This is because, in such cases, even the jawbone needs to heal, which takes lot of time. Also, if there was an active infection in the tooth, then there are chances that it will take longer to heal because the toxins secreted by the pathogens take longer to flush out.
Expertise of Dentist
The way in which the root canal treatment was done will also, greatly influence the recovery time of the tooth. If the root canal procedure is done thoroughly, ensuring removal of the carious and diseased portion of the pulp, then there are high chances of a speedy recovery. However, if there is even a bit of infection left behind, then there could be a flare-up at any point, resulting in a reinfection, which is one of the most important root canal complications that can lead to an extended root canal recovery period. In such cases, the patient experiences root canal pain after procedure, which causes immense discomfort to him.
Aftercare
Immediately, after a procedure, there are certain important aftercare instructions that need to be religiously followed. Ideally, the person should not eat from the side of the treated tooth for, at least, a few hours after the procedure. Also, often the dentist only fills cement after a procedure, rather than placing a silver filling to help the tooth heal, and this cement has very poor strength and cannot withstand the masticatory forces that it is subjected to. Hence, if the person has a weak tooth structure, it is best to avoid eating from that side, so as to prevent complications like tooth fracture, which could lead to the need of re-treatment. Furthermore, if the tooth that was treated is very grossly destructed, then it will most probably need a crown after the root canal procedure. In such cases, it is best to completely, avoid chewing from that side of the mouth, as the tooth may easily fracture.
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