INFORMATION FOLLOWING ROOT CANAL TREATMENT

What You May Experience

 

1. It is not uncommon to experience discomfort, a dull ache (mild  to moderate) immediately following root canal therapy.  This should subside within one week.

 

1. Your tooth may feel sensitive to biting pressure.  This tender feeling is a result of the nerve endings in the tissue outside of the end of the root where we cleaned and irrigated and placed root canal material.  It generally subsides in one week.

 

1. There may be a rough area in your tooth where the opening for the root canal  was made.  There is a temporary material there that may appear to wear away to some degree before your next dental visit.  If the temporary material in the treated tooth becomes dislodged, feels loose, or is contacting the opposing teeth without any food involved, then call the office to make an appointment for a bite adjustment.

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What You Can Do 

 

It is strongly recommended that you take pain relief medication within one hour of leaving our office.  Take any medication as prescribed by the Doctor.  If none was prescribed, standard over-the-counter pain relief medications will help relieve  your discomfort.  You may take 600 mg ibuprofen every 6 hours (this is equivalent to 3 over-the-counter Ibuprofen/Advil/Motrin tablets), and/or 650 mg acetaminophen (Tylenol) every 6 hours.  Other alternative pain relieving medications may be used, but should not be combined with Ibuprofen and Tylenol without speaking to your doctor.

 

You should minimize chewing on the treated tooth. Especially avoid gum, candy,  sticky, and hard foods until you have had a permanent restoration placed by your general dentist. It important to avoid those foods to prevent dislodging the temporary filling material, and/or fracturing your tooth. You will need to see your general dentist for the permanent restoration of the tooth within 30 days. The sooner the better. If the tooth does not get a permanent restoration in a timely manner it will become re-infected, fracture, or otherwise lead to the loss of the tooth.

 

Sometimes antibiotics are prescribed. If you were prescribed antibiotics, all antibiotics should be taken until they are gone as was prescribed by your doctor. 

 

If you experience discomfort that cannot be controlled with the above recommended medications, or should swelling develop, please contact our office immediately.