3 Dental Procedures That Are a Bit More Painful Than Others
What Are the Most Painful Dental Procedures?
Despite the fact that most dental procedures are relatively painless, around 35 million Americans have dental phobia.
Whether it’s due to a fear of the dentist shaming them for their oral hygiene or fear of pain itself, it’s not uncommon to dislike the dentist. One thing many people wonder about is the most painful dental procedures they might face.
You’ve come to the right place if you’re ready for some jaw-clench-inducing information about painful oral surgeries.
But first, relax, unclench your jaw, and get ready for some interesting reading.
1. Root Canal
Root canal treatment consists of removing any infected or inflamed tissue from the inside and underneath a tooth.
It’s usually necessary due to poor oral hygiene and is more common for adults than children. However, it’s good to have a family dentist that will be able to handle both pediatric and adult oral procedures.
Root canal treatments are known as one of the worst procedures, but they’re actually pretty commonplace. You’ll get an anesthetic to prevent you from feeling pain during the procedure and should take over-the-counter pain relief for a few days following the treatment.
2. Crowns
When a tooth is damaged, your dentist can place a replacement ‘crown’ on top of the tooth to hide any damage. Although it’s not the longest dental procedure, it’s still a form of dental surgery.
The dentist will reshape your entire tooth in order to place the crown over it. As you might expect, having your tooth reshaped is agonizing. But, there’s good news – once again, you’ll have an anesthetic to numb your mouth before the procedure.
What would be excruciating without medication suddenly becomes virtually painless. Some patients actually describe the process as the least painful dental procedure they’ve had. However, you should be prepared for some swelling and discomfort in the few days after treatment.
3. Dental Implants
Dental implant surgery is pretty major; metal posts are placed into the jawbone, and implants attach to these posts to replace missing teeth.
As always, with painful procedures, you’ll be given an anesthetic and won’t feel a thing.
However, this is a long process that can stretch over several months. The dentist has to allow time for the posts to bond to your jaw bone after each session.
You may experience pain when the anesthetic wears off. However, you can request prescription pain medication to reduce any symptoms after each visit.
The Most Painful Dental Procedures Explained
If you were feeling worried about needing any of the most painful dental procedures, we’re sure you were glad to learn that an anesthetic is always used to relieve any pain.
So, don’t worry about the dentist; it’s unlikely you’ll experience pain while you’re in the chair, and you can take pain relievers to manage any residual pain or sensitivity.
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