Does root canal treatment hurt a lot?

The treatment is performed under local anesthesia, so there is almost no pain during the procedure. However, when the tooth is severely inflamed, the anesthesia may not take effect as easily and additional anesthesia may be needed. The longer you delay, the worse the inflammation tends to get, which means more anesthesia is often needed - so earlier treatment is better. For 2-3 days after treatment you may notice some discomfort or a dull ache when chewing, but this is usually controlled with pain medication. However, if severe pain or swelling continues for more than a few days, please come in for a check.