How long does a root canal take?

The time has come, and your dentist says you need a root canal cary nc. This idea can seem daunting to many people. What does it mean exactly – root canal? How long will it take? The root canal procedure is nothing to be afraid of. The process involves treating a diseased or damaged tooth to alleviate pain and stop infection. All positive things. Root canals usually take place over the course of one or two visits. Here is information below on the process and how long you can expect it to take.

The two-visit root canal

The first visit will be for the dentist to create an opening in your tooth to access the diseased or damaged root at the center of the tooth, called the pulp. During this visit the dentist will apply a local anesthetic, drill a small hole in your tooth, and spend some time removing the pulp, and any infected tissue from inside the tooth. Your dentist will make sure to thoroughly clean out the tooth canal and disinfect it.

At the second visit, your dentist will work on permanently filling the tooth with a rubber like substance and sealing the tooth, so it is strong and remains healthy. The beauty of the root canal is the dentist is preserving your natural tooth, so at this visit they will make sure to take the time to make that tooth as strong as possible.

With the two-visit approach the two appointments are usually scheduled within two to four weeks of each other. The pros of this approach are that your mouth has time to recover and heal, and the dentist is able to monitor the healing process of the inside of the tooth, prior to filling it.

The one visit root canal

The one visit root canal is becoming more common as of the 1990s. Thanks to scientific advancements, both step one and step two described above can really happen all in one visit. This allows for you to leave the dentist office with a strong and healthy tooth. The downside of the one visit approach is the treatment can be long and exhausting. Also, it really depends on the tooth that needs to be treated. A tooth with multiple roots, like a molar, may take a lot longer to treat. This can be taxing on the patient.

Which approach is best for you?

Which approach is best for you is a decision that should really be made by you and your dentist. Based on the tooth location and type and the severity of the infection your dentist should make a recommendation on which treatment approach is best for you. While you may desire the one visit approach just to be done, the two-visit approach may be the best way to ensuring that your tooth is disease free and recovering healthy. This extra precaution may save you from more work on that tooth in the future. Make sure when you and your dentist are discussing your options you are honest with them about your concerns. This will help you come up with the best approach for you and your root canal procedure.

More on Root Canals : How Much Do Root Canals Cost?