Root Canal After Care
What to Do After a Root Canal
What to Expect During/After Treatment?
Because cleaning the root canals may cause inflammation of the tissue surrounding the tooth, you may experience some discomfort for a day or so. Some initial minor swelling may also occur. It is advisable to place an ice bag on the outside of the face that corresponds to the site of the tooth. Alternate 15 minutes on and 10 minutes off for at least two to three hours. If the swelling should linger more than a couple of days, or increases, call us!
Over-the-counter pain relievers usually assist with the discomfort. If no allergies, you can take Ibuprofen (Advil) 600mg and Acetaminophen (Tylenol) 500mg every 4-6 hours as needed. If the discomfort continues for more than 3-4 days, or if severe pain occurs, call us! Sometimes antibiotics will be prescribed to help control infection. It is very important that you take the medication as directed!
How to Take care of your mouth
Between appointments, a temporary filling will be placed over the entry to the nerve space. Because temporary restorations may loosen, call us if there is significant loss of this filling. Avoid chewing or biting with excessive force directly on the treated side of the tooth, until we complete the root canal and restore the tooth with a crown.
Do not ignore brushing and flossing this tooth as comfort allows.
Please Note: Retreatment may occasionally be necessary. Even though the pulp of the tooth was removed, the tooth is still nourished from surrounding tissues. As with any living tissue, treatment is occasionally unsuccessful and retreatment or even tooth removal may be indicated. Root Canal treated teeth must be followed by the post/core and Crown in most cases. If not done the tooth can fracture and might need to be removed. If Crown or Post was recommended by the Dentist, you must follow with the treatment ASAP after root canal is completed.