What do you feel during root canal treatment?
According to the NHS, root canal treatment is usually done under local anaesthetic, an injection that numbs the tooth and the area around it: you stay awake but should not feel pain. The American Association of Endodontists (AAE) says that with modern techniques and anaesthetics, most patients report being comfortable during the procedure, although pressure or movement can still be felt. Cleveland Clinic describes it as usually no more painful than having a filling.
If something does hurt, tell your dentist straight away, for example by raising a hand.
Is the pain caused by the treatment or by the infection?
Usually by the infection. The NHS explains that root canal treatment may be recommended for tooth pain caused by an infected pulp, the soft tissue inside the tooth, which can follow decay, gum disease, a cracked tooth or an abscess. The AAE says modern root canal treatment relieves pain rather than causing it.
A UCLA thesis (Pak, 2012) that systematically reviewed studies of pain around root canal treatment found that, on average, 81% of patients had pain before treatment, 40% in the 24 hours after it and 11% a week later, with the severity falling sharply too.
If your tooth hurts badly now and your trip is weeks away, do not wait: the NHS advises asking for an urgent dental appointment if you think you have an abscess. You can also send us X-rays and photos on WhatsApp for a preliminary assessment, which does not replace an examination. How much a tooth hurts does not decide whether it can be saved; see root canal treatment or extraction and an implant?
How much soreness is normal afterwards, and for how long?
How quickly soreness settles varies from person to person:
| Time after treatment | What is common | Source |
|---|---|---|
| First few hours | Numbness in the jaw and face | NHS |
| First few days | Tenderness, especially when biting; mild jaw ache from keeping your mouth open | AAE |
| Three to five days | Symptoms improve in most cases | AAE |
| A couple of weeks | Swelling and soreness around the tooth should have improved | NHS |
- Biting versus throbbing: the AAE says sensitivity, especially when biting, is typically part of normal healing, whereas continuous throbbing or swelling may need to be checked.
- Pain relief: according to the AAE, the discomfort usually responds to over-the-counter painkillers, and your dentist may prescribe something stronger, which can make you drowsy. Your dentist decides which painkiller you take, how much and for how long; mention your other medicines and any allergies.
- Swelling: the AAE suggests a cold compress on the outside of the cheek for short periods.
- The first hour: the AAE advises not chewing, not drinking anything hot or cold and not smoking.
What is a flare-up, and how often does it happen?
A flare-up is more pain or swelling than expected after an appointment. A 2022 study in Cureus (Magar and colleagues) defines it as pain and/or swelling one to three days after a root canal appointment that needs an unscheduled emergency visit. The authors report published rates of 1.4% to 16%; in the records of 1,000 patients treated at Jouf University in Saudi Arabia, the rate was 9.4%. Flare-ups were more common in teeth whose pulp had died, especially with an infection at the root tip, in molars, in teeth with several canals and in patients with medical conditions.
If you think you are having one, contact your dentist without waiting for your next appointment, and keep these days in mind when planning your flight.
What should you know about the temporary filling?
The NHS says you may have a temporary filling between appointments, before the permanent one. Until the tooth is permanently restored:
- Chewing: the AAE advises avoiding hard foods and not biting down heavily on the tooth; Cleveland Clinic suggests soft foods for a few days.
- Wear: according to the AAE, losing a thin layer of the temporary filling is normal, but if it comes out, contact your dentist.
- Air pressure: a 2023 British Dental Journal article on dental tourism (Felkai and colleagues) notes that when treatment takes more than one session, a damaged temporary filling that leaves the canals open can predispose to air being forced under the skin (subcutaneous emphysema) during pressure changes. The authors recommend sealing the tooth well between sessions.
The AAE advises scheduling the final restoration as soon as root canal treatment is finished. Whether your tooth needs a crown, how soon, and what to do if you fly home before it is fitted are explained in do you need a crown after root canal treatment?
Can you fly home straight after root canal treatment?
Ask your dentist first. The article by Felkai and colleagues describes barodontalgia, a toothache caused by changes in air pressure that usually affects teeth with previous disease or a dead pulp. The authors advise dental tourists not to fly home immediately after treatment and give 72 hours as the earliest time to fly after non-surgical root canal treatment, provided there is no pain, swelling or bleeding at the tooth. If a flight cannot be avoided, the dentist should give the patient an effective painkiller. Their advice relies largely on data from military aircrew.
Our planning your visit page recommends at least one spare day before your flight for final adjustments, and the drive from Sapanca to Istanbul’s airports usually takes 1.5 to 2 hours. How your appointments and return flight fit together is planned at the examination. If implants, a bone graft or a sinus lift are part of the same trip, see do dental implants hurt?
Who looks after the tooth once you are home?
Your dentist at home. The General Dental Council (GDC) recommends speaking to your own dentist before going abroad, so that they know your plans in case of later complications. Before you leave, you receive a copy of your treatment summary and copies of your X-rays for them, and if they have questions about the treatment, they can contact us on WhatsApp.
The AAE says a root-filled tooth can occasionally need retreatment years later and can often still be saved, so later pain or swelling around it should be checked.
When should you see a dentist without waiting?
According to the AAE, contact your dentist straight away if you have:
- severe pain or pressure lasting more than a few days
- visible swelling inside or outside your mouth
- an allergic reaction to medicine, such as a rash, hives or itching
- a bite that feels uneven
- a temporary filling or crown that comes out
- the symptoms you had before treatment coming back
Cleveland Clinic adds throbbing pain that gets worse. The NHS advises calling emergency services or going to an emergency department if you find it hard to breathe, speak, swallow or open your mouth, have a lot of swelling in your mouth, or have a swollen or painful eye or sudden problems with your eyesight.
While you are in Türkiye, contact us. Once you are home, see a local dentist, or emergency services if it is urgent, then send us photos and a short description on WhatsApp; see aftercare and follow-up.
How is root canal treatment planned at Rönesans for patients from abroad?
Root canal treatment (endodontics) is one of our clinic’s branches, and it is done under local anaesthetic. Before you travel, you can send X-rays and photos on WhatsApp for a preliminary assessment; how many appointments your tooth needs and how they fit around your flights are planned at the examination. When the canal anatomy is complex or the extent of an infection at the root tip needs clarifying, a cone-beam CT (CBCT) scan at the clinic allows a 3D assessment. Before treatment starts, you know which dentist will treat you and receive a written treatment and cost plan; the cost is confirmed after the examination.
On treatment days, we take you between your accommodation in Sapanca and the clinic. Before you leave, you receive a copy of your treatment summary and copies of your X-rays, and follow-up after treatment follows a defined process.
We are open Monday to Friday 10:00–22:00 and Saturday 10:00–19:00, Türkiye time. Send photos and questions on WhatsApp at +90 532 363 49 54, call our head office on +90 264 606 09 43 or use our contact page; during opening hours we reply in English and German within 15 minutes.