Post-Op Instructions: Root Canals Treatments
Endodontic treatment can take 1, 2, or 3 appointments depending on the case. It is possible to experience any of the following symptoms after any of these appointments: sensitivity to pressure and touch, difficulty chewing, possible swelling. If you experience swelling, please call our office immediately as additional medication may be required.
- One common occurrence with a newly root-canalled tooth is for the tooth to feel high when you bite your teeth together. If this occurs it will cause your tooth to stay sensitive for a longer period of time. Please call us if your bite feels “high” as this problem is easily rectified with a simple bite adjustment.
- A temporary filling may be used to temporarily seal the tooth between visits.
- Be gentle on the tooth while eating until the final restoration is placed.
- The gum tissue could have been irritated during the procedure and may be sore for a few days together with the anesthetic injection site.
- During endodontic treatment, the nerve, blood and nutrient supply to the tooth is removed. This will cause the tooth to become brittle and prone to fracturing which could result in the need to extract the tooth. A full coverage crown is recommended to prevent this from happening.
- Do root canals always work? NO! A root canal is a therapy, not a cure. It has a high success rate but some of them will fail due to reasons such as excessive infection, diminished immune system of a patient, possible cracks on root, unique complex root anatomy, recurrent infections, procedural errors, or even unknown reasons. It is critical to follow a strict recall exam and maintenance schedule to catch and fix problems early to avoid pain, infection or tooth loss.