How long does a root canal take? This is one of the most common questions at the dental office and many others, including the intensity of pain or its safety or healing period. Our lives are busy, and every day we run to catch up with our entire daily task, so, it is necessary to plan things out before undergoing the root canal treatment. This procedure saves a natural tooth that is decayed and damaged by the bacteria in your mouth. The length of treatments depends on tooth type and the extent of decay; it usually takes one to two hours. It is not advisable to get it done in a hurry that would miss out on the necessary steps. Initially, from making the tooth numb and preparing it for cleaning the decay to filling, there is a need for proper time and precautions to give perfect results.
How long does a root canal take for one tooth?
Three main stages during the root canal procedure are:
- Firstly, marking the decayed area in the tooth and broadening the scope to prepare it for treatment.
- Then, the cleaning starts by disinfecting the area that has decay
- Finally, after cleaning the space, the sealant fills the empty gaps in the tooth so that bacteria cannot reenter the area causing infection.
All of these are necessary, once the area in the tooth broadens up, the disinfecting liquid can easily travel deep down to the deepest space and work till the corners. The solution takes time to reach inside and act on bacteria and infections. This is one of the reasons why root canal treatment takes one to two hours. However, after the treatment, you can carry on with your routine life in a few days and keep smiling with your natural pair of teeth.
Why does root canal treatment take time?
To make the treatment comforting and long-lasting for patients, few steps require some additional time as per the case. Before starting the procedure, anesthesia injection makes the tooth numb; there is a possibility that different people need varying times for it to act thoroughly. This makes the treatment completely pain free; the procedure will not continue until the tooth is completely numb, which may take some time.
Once it starts, the disinfection of all the root canal is essential; otherwise, complications are possible after the procedure. For this purpose, special dental tools detect the small channels; hence the time depends on the number of channels found and the extent of decay in them. After detection, disinfectant is used that requires some time to act. The time will impact the longevity of treatment; hence, there is no chance of compromise. For the long-term success of root canal treatment, all these steps need careful planning and intervals.
So, how long does a root canal take? There is no one answer to it, but several factors depend. If you feel your tooth has an infection or need a root canal treatment, contact us. We offer quality dental care to all our patients. Call us at 979-421-9685 to schedule your appointment.