After Root Canal Treatment

Following root canal treatment

• It is normal to feel some tenderness in the area over the next few days as your body undergoes the natural healing process.
• You may also feel some tenderness in your jaw from keeping it open for an extended period of time. These symptoms are temporary and usually respond very well to over-the-counter pain medications. It is important for you to follow the instructions on how to take these medications. Remember that narcotic medications, if prescribed, may make you drowsy, and caution should be exercised in operating dangerous machinery or driving a car after taking them.
• Your tooth may continue to feel slightly different from your other teeth for some time after your root canal treatment has been completed. However, if you have severe pain or pressure that lasts more than a few days, contact your endodontist.

Guidelines for post-treatment care

• Do not eat anything until the numbness in your mouth wears off. This will prevent you from biting your cheek or tongue. Do not have any hot drinks that might burn your mouth.  
• Do not chew or bite on the treated tooth until you have had it restored by your dentist.
• Be sure to brush and floss your teeth as you normally would.
• If the opening in your tooth was restored with a temporary filling material, it is not unusual for a thin layer to wear off in-between appointments. However, if you think the entire filling has come out, contact your endodontist.
• Contact your endodontist right away if you develop any of the following:
  • a visible swelling inside or outside of your mouth
  • an allergic reaction to medication, including rash, hives or itching (nausea is not an allergic reaction)

Taking care of your tooth

• Root canal treatment is only one step in returning your tooth to full function. A proper final restoration of the tooth is extremely important in ensuring long-term success.
• Contact your dentist within two weeks to arrange your next appointment. If your tooth is being treated in more than one visit by an endodontist, do not return to your dentist for the final restoration until the root canal treatment is completed.
• After the tooth has been restored, you still need to practice good oral hygiene, including brushing, flossing, regular checkups and cleanings.
• Your endodontist may periodically X-ray the tooth to ensure that healing has occurred. Occasionally, a tooth that has undergone endodontic treatment may not heal or the pain may continue. At times, the tooth may become painful or diseased, months or even years after successful treatment. When this occurs, repeating the endodontic procedure may save the tooth.

Are There Any Potential Problems After Treatment?

• Lower teeth and nerve injury. There is a slight possibility that nerve injury can occur during root canal surgery to the lower posterior teeth. Your endodontist is trained to assess this possibility prior to treatment and will advise you accordingly. For lower posterior teeth, the root tips may be near a nerve that supplies feeling to the lip, chin and gums. Your endodontist is trained to design your surgery to minimize the chances of damaging this nerve. Rarely, this nerve can become irritated during the process of surgery. In these cases, when the local anesthesia wears off, you may experience tingling, altered sensation or, in rare cases a complete lack of feeling in the affected tissues. Should this occur, it is usually temporary and will resolve over a period of days, weeks or months. In rare cases, these changes can be permanent and/or painful.
• Upper teeth and sinus communication. The upper teeth are situated near your sinuses, and root canal surgery can result in a communication between your mouth and the adjacent sinus. Should this complication occur, it will usually heal spontaneously. We will give you special instructions if this is apparent at the time of surgery. We prefer that you don’t blow your nose for two to three days after surgery. If you have to sneeze, you should sneeze with an open mouth into a tissue. You should not create any pressure in the sinus area. If you sense a complication after surgery, please contact us.
• Post-operative infections. Post-operative infections occasionally occur. This usually requires just an office visit and examination. Many times placing you on an antibiotic for one week will take care of the infection Occasionally, other follow-up procedures will be needed.

If you have any questions, please call our office at Rockwall Heath Endodontics Phone Number (469) 698-8282