ANSWER: A root canal treatment is not meant to be painful and in many ways is like a regular tooth filling. Moreover, a root canal treatment helps in relieving the pain resulting from an infection and seldom increases it. Even if there is some pain; in majority of cases it is not due to the procedure, but because of the problem it aims to treat. Eventually, the patient becomes comfortable and pain free.

ANSWER: After numbing the area to be treated, a hole is drilled in the tooth to reach the pulp chamber and the root canal system. The inflamed or infected tissue is removed following which the pulp chamber and the root canals are cleaned and disinfected thoroughly. The cleaned chamber and canal system is then filled and sealed off with relevant dental materials and a temporary filling material is placed on the top to seal of the drilled hole. Immediately after the root canal procedure one might feel some sensitivity for a few days for which painkillers or anti-inflammatory
medicines will be prescribed to reduce the pain.

ANSWER: A few days or weeks after the root canal treatment, a permanent filling material is filled in the tooth or more commonly a dental crown is placed over the given tooth. The physical condition of the tooth and/or the amount/extent of damage determines the type of restoration to be done.

ANSWER: The effect of the anesthetic given to numb the pain lasts for 2-4 hours after which majority of the patients will be capable to directly return to work. It is generally advised to the patient not to eat till the time the numbness lasts!