If you’re getting root canal therapy, you probably have many concerns. You might wonder whether a root canal hurts or what’s involved in the procedure. One of your biggest questions, though, is likely how long it’ll take. After all, your treatment time and recovery will impact your schedule in the coming days. Luckily, your local dentist is here with an answer. Read on to learn the time factors involved in a root canal with a San Antonio dentist.
How Long Does a Root Canal Take?
As you may know, a root canal accesses an infected tooth’s interior. Since getting that access is a delicate process, treatment won’t be quick. Plus, remember that your dentist will clean out and disinfect the tooth, fill it with sterile material, and close it up again.
Given these factors, a typical root canal lasts about 30-90 minutes. That said, how long your own takes will depend on your infection’s severity and the teeth involved. For instance, consider the tooth types below:
- Molars – Molars are the four-cusped teeth at the back of our mouth. Because they have up to four canals, they’re the most time-consuming to treat. Their roots alone take an hour to remove, disinfect, and fill, so a molar root canal can take over 90 minutes.
- Premolars – These pearly whites sit between your molars and anterior teeth. They only have one or two roots, so a root canal for a premolar usually takes around an hour.
- Canines & Incisors – Canine and incisor teeth help you tear up and chew food. They only have one root, so they’re the fastest to treat with a root canal — around 45 minutes to an hour.
How Long is Root Canal Recovery?
Following the first appointment, you’ll have to wait 1-2 weeks to have your crown placed and treatment to end.
During this time, you’ll need to be careful with your mouth. Try limiting your diet to softer foods to avoid harming your tooth. You could also rinse with salt water to keep food particles out of the treated area. Whatever you do, just remember to keep practicing good oral hygiene – brush your teeth twice daily, floss once daily, avoid sugary foods, and so on.
Even if a root canal in San Antonio uses more time than a standard dental checkup, the treatment is well worth it. Still, feel free to talk to your dental practice if you have other timing-related questions.
About the Practice
Laith Family Dentistry is based in San Antonio, TX. As led by Dr. Racha Kadamani, the practice gives its patients quality, customized dental care. Its staff thus offers preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, as well as emergency smile procedures. The team is also qualified to provide dental sedation and wisdom tooth removal. For more information or to book an appointment, you can reach them at their website or by phone at (210)-782-0008.
