Tooth Repair & Time: How Long Does a Root Canal Take?

As you prepare for your root canal, you’ll naturally have many questions for your dentist. You find yourself asking whether treatment is painful, what your care will involve, etc. Still, there’s a question you mustn’t forget to consider amidst all the others: How long does a root canal take? Addressing it ensures you can schedule your care and recovery properly. With that said, here’s a primer on how long a root canal – and its post-treatment healing – usually takes.

Consider What a Root Canal Does

You’ll need a sense of what a root canal does before you can grasp its average timeline. So, make sure to review the basics about this unique treatment first.

A root canal is a service that rids infected tissue from a tooth’s roots. By removing this matter (and sealing the area back up), it preserves a patient’s natural tooth and prevents further damage. Such work protects both oral health and quality of life; a tooth infection will spread and cause severe health issues if left untreated.

Root Canals & Their Timelines

Due to how it works, a root canal typically takes thirty to ninety minutes. Where your own treatment falls on this timeline will depend on your infection’s severity. It’ll also vary by how many canals the affected tooth has, as different teeth have different numbers.

To get a better estimate of your root canal’s timeline, consider the tooth types below:

• Incisors & Canines – Since incisors and canines are single-rooted, root canals for them often take thirty to sixty minutes.
• Premolars – Premolars are closer to your mouth’s front than molars, so they have only one or two roots. Treatment for one of them typically takes forty-five to ninety minutes.
• Molars – Being at the very back of your mouth, molars have up to four roots. Root canals for them may thus take ninety minutes or even longer.

Your Recovery Also Adds Time

While not technically part of a root canal, post-treatment recovery is a period when you have to be more mindful of your tooth. Please keep it in mind as part of the “time” your procedure requires.

A successful root canal may cause mild pain for several days afterward. Such discomfort isn’t severe, and it’ll diminish as time passes. You can also manage it with over-the-counter pain relievers.

You may have a crown placed on your tooth one or two weeks after treatment, so you must keep it safe during that time. That means you should brush your teeth twice daily, floss between them once daily, and rinse often with mouthwash.

For a precise estimate of how long a root canal takes, consult your dental provider. They can give you a more exact timetable for you to review!

About the Practice

DeAngelo Dental of Homer Glen is based in Homer Glen, IL. Led by namesake Dr. Alan DeAngelo, our practice strives to blend comfort, quality, and beauty into our dentistry. We thus offer comprehensive and tailored oral services, ranging from simple dental checkups to complex root canal therapy. However your smile is doing, rest assured that we’ll make it strong and beautiful! For more details or to book a visit, please contact us on our website or by phone at (708)-854-5912.