After –care Root Canal Treatment
Following root canal therapy, there may be some soreness in the area of the treated tooth for the following few days or more. This is due to a healing response called inflammation at the root ends and the injection sites and is normal. This is your immune system taking over to try and heal the area and tissues around the tooth. If you were originally experiencing cold sensitivity with your tooth, this symptom should be resolved after the initiation of the root canal treatment. This symptom may, however, be replaced with a mild to moderate ache while your tooth recovers from the procedure. Please follow the instructions provided to you after treatment regarding managing your discomfort.
The amount of discomfort after root canal treatment is dependant on the kind and the type of infection you had when you presented for treatment. In general, teeth that are severely infected or present with a swelling have more discomfort. If a swelling results after the root canal therapy, antibiotics may be indicated. Please contact us if you experience any swelling. Again, this is an expected response in an infected tooth.
Depending on the condition of the tooth prior to the root canal, the healing phase may or may not be brief. Please be patient with this process as it can take up to several days to a few weeks for proper resolution of symptoms. Most often, any remaining symptoms from the tooth will resolve in time. Typically, the tooth will be uncomfortable to chew with or bite on. Please chew on the other side of your mouth until your symptoms improve.
Your root canal treatment may need to be completed in two visits. This is very common and relates oftertimes to the degree of complexity of your tooth’s root canal system or the infection. Generally, the tooth should be back to normal within a month after the completion of the treatment.
A temporary filling is often placed in the root canal treated tooth during and after treatment is complete. Following root canal therapy, a final restoration, usually a crown,has to be placed on the treated tooth by your general dentist. Failure to do so in a timely fashion will result into failure of the root canal or a possible root fracture resulting in tooth loss.
We recommend that you continue on good oral hygiene care with tooth brushing and flossing; however, if a large temporary filling has been place in the treated tooth, we recommend that you avoid flossing around the treated tooth to prevent dislodging the filling.