How long can I last without a root canal?

Asked by: Alisa Hoeger Jr.  |  Last update: March 2, 2025
Score: 4.9/5 (68 votes)

The length of time you can leave a root canal untreated varies depending on the severity of the infection and your personal pain tolerance. Some people may experience severe symptoms within days, while others may go weeks or even months without significant discomfort.

What happens if you go too long without a root canal?

Spreading Infection

Without intervention, the infection inside the abscess can spread away from the tooth. Impacted parts of the body from a spreading infection can include the surrounding teeth, jaw bone, and nearby tissues. Once the infection spreads, you may need additional treatments to stop it.

How long can a root canal go untreated?

How Long Can You Wait to Have a Root Canal Done? The length of time you can leave an infected tooth untreated depends on the severity of the infection and, typically, your pain tolerance. Some individuals will have severe symptoms within days, while others may go weeks or even months without significant pain.

Can a tooth survive without a root canal?

The short answer is no, a tooth that needs a root canal cannot heal itself naturally. The long answer is fairly straightforward. The infected tissue inside a tooth cannot heal by itself and will only get worse over time if left untreated. Even if you experience no pain, you should still seek treatment.

Can I wait 6 months for a root canal?

If this process is delayed, the tooth can not only become more infected but can also result in loss of the entire tooth. If you delay having a root canal treatment on a decayed or infected tooth, the pain you were initially experiencing might go away without necessarily taking any measures.

How long can you delay getting a crown? - Dr. Ranjani Rao

34 related questions found

How urgent is a root canal?

Typically, the first sign that one may be needed is pain from an infection. Depending on the severity of the symptoms, it may constitute an emergency that requires immediate treatment. The three main signs that it is an urgent situation are extreme pain, bleeding and damage to the tooth that exposes the pulp and nerve.

What happens if you need a root canal and can't afford it?

Many communities have free dental clinics for people without insurance who cannot afford care at a dental practice. Look online for a local dental society or university dental school, call them, and ask about programs for free dental care.

Will my tooth fall out if I dont get a root canal?

So in addition to one tooth that needs a root canal, now the adjacent teeth may also need a root canal if the infection spreads. It can also spread to the gum tissue and into the jaw. At this point the infection will surely cause you pain as it grows and festers. You could lose your tooth.

Who is responsible for a failed root canal?

Your dentist may be responsible for a bad root canal treatment. It ultimately depends on why your root canal failed. If your dentist did not provide an acceptable standard of treatment or live up to their duty-of-care mandate, you might incur unnecessary pain and suffering with root canal complications.

What happens if you ignore your root canal?

The Consequences of Avoiding a Root Canal

If the infection is concerning and left untreated it can cause you to lose your tooth or part of your jaw or even lead to dental abscesses or a life-threatening stroke, sepsis, or heart attack. As the infection progresses so will the pain which will be excruciating.

What are signs you need a root canal?

What are signs I may need a root canal?
  • Tooth pain that doesn't go away. Lots of things make your teeth hurt. ...
  • Pressure hurts. If your tooth hurts when you eat or touch it, it may mean something damaged the nerves around your tooth pulp.
  • Swollen gums. ...
  • Pimple on your gums. ...
  • Swollen jaw. ...
  • Discolored tooth. ...
  • Loose tooth.

How long can you leave a failed root canal?

The length of time you can leave a root canal untreated varies depending on the severity of the infection and your personal pain tolerance. Some people may experience severe symptoms within days, while others may go weeks or even months without significant discomfort.

Can I refuse a root canal?

A root canal procedure is recommended and performed only when there is an oral health need and other procedures cannot fix the problem. Not having this suggested dental procedure done can lead to more advanced problems.

What happens if its too late for a root canal?

If you delay root canal treatment, the oral infection continues to get worse, and it can even lead to a very serious condition called septicemia — when the localized infection from your tooth spreads through your body. This can quickly become a dangerous health situation that you want to avoid at all costs.

Can you go your whole life without a root canal?

By avoiding cavities and other damage to your teeth, you may go your whole life without needing a root canal.

Is it better to pull a tooth or get a root canal?

Root canal therapy is recommended when teeth can be saved with treatment, while an extraction is performed when the tooth's structure is too damaged, or a crack goes beneath the gum's surface, not leaving enough structure for stability or use after the repair.

What is the cost of root canal treatment?

Premolar Tooth: For a premolar tooth, the cost could be between ₹3,000 to ₹7,000 or more. Molar Tooth: Root canal treatment for a molar tooth can range from ₹4,000 to ₹10,000 or higher in these areas.

Can I wait 3 weeks for a root canal?

Delaying or leaving a root canal untreated can have serious consequences, potentially leading to various complications. Statistics show that untreated dental infections can progress, and approximately 15% of dental infections result in an abscess, a collection of pus caused by bacterial infection.

Can I take antibiotics instead of root canal?

Antibiotics Aren't A Cure

While certain antibiotics are helpful in reducing the amount of pain and infection in a tooth, they are by no means a cure. Once the nerve is damaged, it will need to be removed via endodontic therapy.

What happens if you let a root canal go untreated?

Untreated root canals can lead to severe long-term side effects. Spread of infection is common, potentially reaching the bloodstream and causing systemic health issues. Tooth loss may occur as the untreated tooth deteriorates. This can also result in bone loss in the jaw, weakening the jawbone structure.

Will insurance pay for failed root canal?

While dental insurance may cover part or all the cost for retreatment, some policies limit coverage to a single procedure on a tooth in each period of time.

Can a tooth heal itself without a root canal?

Unfortunately, the infected pulp of the tooth will not heal on its own and requires a root canal to properly be treated. Sometimes, patients may think a tooth infection has healed itself once they no longer feel pain in their tooth, but this just signals that the nerves inside of the tooth have died.

What is the cost of a root canal without insurance?

Average treatment price ranges from $600 to $1400 depending on the location of the tooth. Average amount for a Crown ranges from $600 to $2000.