What to Expect During a Root Canal

If your dentist has recommended a root canal, your first reaction might be dread. That is completely normal. Root canals have a reputation that is decades out of date, built on stories from an era before modern anesthesia and digital imaging. The reality in 2026 is straightforward: a root canal is a routine procedure that relieves pain, saves your natural tooth, and typically feels no worse than getting a filling.

At Seven Corners Dental Care, we perform root canal therapy regularly. Dr. Tepy Kong's approach starts with something that sounds simple but makes all the difference: she explains what is happening, why it matters, and what you will feel at each stage. No surprises. No rushing. Just clear communication from start to finish.

Why You Might Need a Root Canal

Inside every tooth is a soft tissue called the pulp. It contains nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue that helped your tooth grow during development. Once the tooth is fully mature, it can survive without the pulp because surrounding tissues continue to nourish it.

A root canal becomes necessary when the pulp becomes infected or inflamed. Common causes include deep decay, a crack or chip in the tooth, repeated dental procedures on the same tooth, or trauma. Left untreated, a pulp infection can lead to an abscess, bone loss, and the eventual loss of the tooth itself.

Signs you might need a root canal include:

• Severe, lingering pain when eating or drinking hot or cold foods
• Pain that wakes you up at night
• A tooth that is tender to touch or pressure
• Darkening or discoloration of a tooth
• Swelling or tenderness in the nearby gums
• A persistent pimple-like bump on the gums

Sometimes there are no symptoms at all. That is one reason regular exams matter. Our Dexis digital radiography system captures high-resolution diagnostic images with 90% less radiation than conventional film, allowing us to catch problems early, before they become emergencies.

The Procedure, Step by Step

Step 1: Diagnosis and Imaging

Before anything else, your dentist will take digital X-rays to see the shape of the root canals and determine how far the infection has spread. At our practice, this means digital radiography that is fast, comfortable, and involves a fraction of the radiation you would receive from a traditional X-ray. Dr. Kong will review the images with you on screen so you understand exactly what she is seeing.

Step 2: Local Anesthesia

The area around the affected tooth is numbed with local anesthetic. This is the same numbing you would receive for a filling. Most patients say this is the only part that is mildly uncomfortable, and even that lasts only a few seconds. Once the anesthesia takes effect, you should feel pressure but no pain during the procedure. If at any point you do feel pain, tell us immediately. We can always add more anesthetic.

Step 3: Isolation

A small rubber sheet called a dental dam is placed over the tooth to keep it dry and free of saliva during the procedure. It also prevents any debris or cleaning solutions from reaching the rest of your mouth. It looks a little unusual but is completely painless and actually makes the experience more comfortable.

Step 4: Accessing the Pulp

Your dentist creates a small opening in the crown (top) of the tooth to access the pulp chamber. This is done with a standard dental drill. Because the tooth is fully numb, you will feel vibration and pressure but not pain.

Step 5: Cleaning and Shaping

This is the core of the procedure. Using very small, flexible instruments, the dentist removes the infected or inflamed pulp tissue from the pulp chamber and root canals. The canals are then carefully cleaned, shaped, and disinfected. Antimicrobial solutions are used to flush out bacteria and debris. This step is meticulous and may take some time, but it is what eliminates the infection and sets the tooth up for long-term success.

Step 6: Filling the Canals

Once the canals are clean and dry, they are filled with a biocompatible rubber-like material called gutta-percha and sealed with adhesive cement. This prevents bacteria from re-entering the tooth. The access opening is then closed with a temporary or permanent filling.

Step 7: Restoration

In most cases, a tooth that has had a root canal will need a crown to protect it from fracture and restore full function. Dr. Kong will discuss the best restoration option for your specific situation. This is typically done at a follow-up appointment.

After the Procedure

When the anesthesia wears off, you may experience some tenderness in the area for a few days. This is normal and usually manageable with over-the-counter pain medication like ibuprofen. Most patients return to normal activities the next day.

Avoid chewing on the treated tooth until your permanent restoration (crown) is placed. Stick to softer foods for the first day or two. If you experience severe pain, swelling, or a reaction to the medication, call us right away.

Addressing Common Fears

"Root canals are extremely painful." This is the biggest myth. Modern root canal treatment is performed under effective local anesthesia. Most patients compare the sensation to getting a filling. In fact, the pain you are experiencing before the procedure, from the infected pulp, is typically far worse than anything during treatment. The root canal is what makes the pain stop.

"I'd rather just pull the tooth." Extraction is sometimes necessary, but saving your natural tooth is almost always the better option. A natural tooth maintains your bite alignment, protects surrounding teeth from excessive wear, and preserves the bone in your jaw. Replacing an extracted tooth with an implant or bridge is more costly and more invasive than a root canal with a crown.

"It takes forever." Most root canals are completed in one to two appointments, each lasting 60 to 90 minutes. Advances in instruments, imaging, and techniques have made the procedure significantly faster and more predictable than it was even a decade ago.

"Communication and prevention are the keys to optimal oral health. When a patient understands what we're doing and why, the anxiety drops and the outcomes improve." — Dr. Tepy Kong, DDS

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If you are experiencing tooth pain or have been told you need a root canal, do not put it off. The longer an infection goes untreated, the more complex the treatment becomes. At Seven Corners Dental Care, we welcome walk-ins and same-day emergencies seven days a week. We speak English, Spanish, French, and Khmer, and we accept most major dental insurance plans.