How long does a root canal take?

Q: How long does a root canal take?

A: On average, a root canal procedure can take anywhere from 60 minutes to 90 minutes for the entire appointment, but sometimes more complex procedures may take longer.

The time that you’ll be in the chair for your procedure will depend on a variety of factors including the level of infection in your tooth, the tooth that needs root canal therapy, and other related oral health issues. 

But before the fear of sitting through a root canal procedure enters, we want you to know that a root canal shouldn’t be painful. There is a lot of misinformation that surrounds root canals that they’re awful, but when performed properly the root canal therapy should help to remove the pain associated with your tooth.

Root canal therapy is usually performed by your dentist and can either be in one or two appointments depending on the scope of work being performed. 

Read more to learn more about what happens during a root canal therapy.

How do I know if I need a root canal?

All teeth have a pulp which is the living tissue inside the root of your tooth that connects it to your bone and gums. The pulp of your tooth is full of blood vessels and nerves and if they become infected, this procedure can save your natural tooth while removing the infected tissues and nerves in the pulp. Teeth that often need this are usually damaged from the following:

• Cracks or large chips that damage the pulp and nerves
• Teeth that have infections from large cavities
• Teeth that are damaged from years of repeated dental work

Root canals on molars

Your molars are the most time-consuming teeth since they’re in the back of your mouth and can have up to four canals. Root canal therapy on your molars require more work to remove the infection, clean, and fill which can take up to 90 minutes or more.

Premolars:

Your premolars are the teeth behind your front teeth and before your molars and these teeth typically only have two roots and usually, only take about an hour depending on the anatomy of the tooth and the severity of the infection.

Incisors and canine tooth:

These are the teeth in the front of your mouth and they have a single root which makes them the quickest teeth to fill for a root canal. Your dentist can typically perform the procedure for your front teeth for around 60 minutes, but again it depends on the severity of the infection. 

Why can a root canal occasionally take two visits?

Depending on the severity of the infection or the tooth that requires a root canal therapy, your dentist may decide to split the procedure into two sessions. The first appointment they’ll probably focus on removing the infected tissue and if it’s severe or in a hard to access area, this may be all they do the first appointment. After they remove the infection, a temporary antibacterial medication in your tooth until your next appointment. 

The second part of your treatment will require a little more cleaning and a permanent sealant of the inside of your tooth. A filling will then be placed and in some circumstances, a crown might be placed.

Root canals, in conclusion…

A root canal therapy is a serious treatment but most patients won’t experience any more discomfort than a typical cavity filling. The main thing to remember is that the pain is much worse by letting a damaged tooth go untreated without root canal therapy and the procedure actually is intended to remove the painful infection. 

We’re here to help, if you’re experiencing tooth pain, swelling, and discomfort you should contact us at 717-243-9020 and get it taken care of before it gets worse.