valley-endodontic.com
Valley Endodontics Title
mt. adams

Information Following Root Canal Therapy

What To Expect Following Endodontic (Root Canal) Therapy

  1. It is not uncommon for a tooth to be uncomfortable or even exhibit a dull ache immediately after receiving root canal therapy.  This should subside within a few days.
  2. Your tooth will be sensitive to biting pressure and may even appear to feel loose.  This feeling is a result of the sensitivity / inflammation of nerve-endings and surrounding tissue just outside the end of the root(s) that were treated.  This is normal and will become progressively more comfortable within a few days.
  3. You may feel a rough area (on the top surface of a back tooth or on the back surface of a front tooth), where our access was made.  There is a soft, temporary material (filling) in that area, which may wear to some degree before your next visit.  The filling seals and protects the root canal treatment from becoming contaminated and re-infected between appointments.  If the filling comes out or sinks down in the tooth it is important to contact our office to replace the filling to ensure the root canal therapy remains protected.
  4. A very small percentage of patients (less than 5%) may experience severe post-operative pain and / or swelling in the area that was treated.  If this occurs, please call our office immediately so we may address this problem.

What To Do Following Endodontic (Root Canal) Therapy

  1. We recommend that you take something for pain-relief within one hour of leaving our office, to allow the medication to be effective before the anesthesia administered begins to subside.  Generally only one dose is needed, however some people may require pain relieving medication over the next several days.
    • Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) 400-800mg every 6 hours (not to exceed 3200mg/day) is recommend for patients able to take, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, or aspirin.
    • For people unable to take ibuprofen, non-steroidals, or aspirin, then acetaminophen (Tylenol) 1000mg every 6 hours (not to exceed 4000mg/day) is recommended.
      1. The consumption of alcohol is not recommended while taking these medications.
    • Dr. Wilson may prescribe a prescription pain reliever and / or antibiotic for your use and will advise you on the appropriate use of these medications.
  2. Minimize chewing on the affected tooth until your root canal therapy is complete and your dentist has placed a protective restoration on your tooth.  This is to avoid damage to the tooth.
  3. We recommend that you contact your dentist office to have your tooth restored within 2-4 weeks following completion of your root canal therapy.