Can Root Canals Cause Jaw Pain?

If you have severe tooth or jaw pain, you may need a root canal. Root canals are special procedures that are used to clean the canals of the tooth. These canals contain the nerve and other soft tissues of the tooth. Therefore, once the nerve is gone, the pain will also be gone. Our root canal specialist in Los Angeles may suggest a root canal treatment if you have an abscess, an infection, a deep cavity or a badly damaged tooth.

Root canals are performed using local anesthetic and should not be painful. However, the conditions that they treat can be extremely painful. After the root canal is complete, the nerve of the tooth will be gone, and the tooth will no longer hurt. If the infection was severe, the surrounding tissues may continue to be painful for a few days. The pain can extend into the jaw in some cases, which is most likely when the infection has reached the bone in this area. Pain can range from mild to moderate, but you should be able to manage it using over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications. Antibiotics may also be prescribed in some cases.

As the inflammation subsides and the infection clears, the pain should also disappear. If the pain continues or worsens, the infection may have returned. Call us as soon as possible so that we can assess the tooth and determine if there is an underlying cause for your continuing pain. Contact us today to learn more or to schedule your appointment with our team.

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