Fortunately, a painful root canal is rare, but it does occasionally occur. Inflammation around the root canal tooth roots is the most common source of discomfort. Inflammation causes swelling in the periodontal ligament around the tooth and the tooth lifts up out of its socket. Every time the patient bites it pushes the tooth back into its socket and this hurts and causes more inflammation and dental pain. It's a vicious cycle.

          Today, most dentists avoid a painful root canal by completing root canal treatment in one visit and this helps avoid leakage of decaying tissues into the surrounding bone. In years past it was common to do endodontic therapy in several visits but this leaves partial root canal that has dead tissue in the unfilled and unsealed canals. This dead tissue irritates the surrounding bone and can cause excruciating root canal pain. Having the root canal treatment all done in one dental visit is often convenient for the patient.

          Although it is usually the goal to complete root canal therapy in one visit, there are some instances where this may not be the best choice and a painful root canal is often one of them. When there is a significant tooth infection, a tooth can be difficult to numb and treatment of a severely inflamed area can make the area more painful. In these cases, a patient is placed on an strong dental antibiotic, a narcotic pain medication and if necessary, an anti-inflammatory. In three to seven days, most teeth have calmed down to the degree that they can be treated.

          If you would like a free dental consultation with Atlanta Family Dentist, Dr. Mark Allan Padolsky or Dr. Jeffrey Stephen Smith about a painful root canal please call 404-874-7428 to schedule your appointment. The dentists at the Atlanta Dental Group PC are dedicated to their patients' good health and well being. You are welcome to join our family of patients. They offer comprehensive General, Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry. Because we know that dental pain can be terrible, our Financial Manager will do everything she can to assist you in making financial arrangements to help you obtain your needed dental care.