Root Canal Treatment: After Instructions
Root Canal Treatment can take 1-2 appointments to complete. Each appointment will usually require Local Anaesthetic and until this wears off you will have a numb lip/cheeks and tongue.
Multiple visits
A temporary filling or crown is placed on the tooth between appointments to retain a seal and hold medication inside the root canal. It is important that this filling maintains a seal, so you should take care to avoid eating on this tooth where possible.
Delays to appointments can result in medication being used up and not working and you can then experience pain and discomfort and require additional appointment/s.
As Root Canal Treatment is completed, you Dentist will advise that a filling, and more commonly a Crown is required and when this should be completed to ensure the seal of the crown of the tooth is maintained. If this is not completed, often the root canal treatment will be exposed and then adidtional retreatment or extraction required.
Key Risks
Root Canal Treamtent is commonly performed on the most broken or decayed teeth. In some teeth it may be deemed early or later after treamtent that the tooth has a poor prognosis and extraction is required. This is an unfortunate outcome, but none-the-less does happen.
Care
To protect the tooth and help keep the temporary in place until a crown can be completed:
- Avoid chewing on sticky foods (gum)
- Avoid biting hard foods and substances such as ice, fingernails, pencils, nuts
- If possible, chew on the other side of your mouth
Symptoms & Side Effects
It is normal to experience some discomfort for several days after root canal treatment, especially to pressure and chewing. A dull ache may be apparent traight after your appointmnet and anaesthetic wears off.
To control discomfort we recommend taking Ibuprofen or Paracetamol as instruction on the packets, or if moderate discomfort to take both ibuprofen and paracetamol.
Good oral hygiene and a salt water rinse twice daily will also assist.
Any treatment difficulties or failures will require referral to specialist Endodontists for additional treatment.
Post-Treatment Appointment
Delay in having a Crown placed on the tooth straight after the Root Canal Treatment is completed may result in fracture and/or possible loss of the tooth.
Any invasive or surgical procedure has risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner. No dental treatment is suitable for each and every patient. Dentists will only provide care which is suitable to the individual. Patients of Brisbane Smiles must complete examination and consultation appointments to deem suitability for procedures and full informed consent be given by the patient. Photos shown on this website are actual patients. Photos are for general purposes and individual results will vary.