At James A. Penney, III, DDS, PA Endodontics, we know each patient’s dental problems are unique and require different kinds of care. We are available to all times to respond if you experience any complications after surgery.
Here are a few norms our patients typically deal with after a root canal.
1. Practicing some self care
Your procedure is over! Most endodontic therapy procedures don’t take up much time. Some of our patients even head back to work. You know what’s best for your body to heal. Whether you’re ready to to continue your day like normal or head home and get some rest is completely up to you.
Here are a few things to be aware of immediately following your procedure:
- Tenderness. Thanks to the advancements in technology and dental practice, endodontic therapy is usually painless. After you undergo a root canal, you can still expect to feel tenderness around your treated tooth. Your body is going through the healing process. Over-the-counter pain medications will help manage the pain until you are fully healed.
- Numbness. We don’t recommend eating immediately after endodontic treatment. To make the procedure painless we use a local anesthetic to numbs the area. Wait for the numbness to wear off before you eat anything or you might end up taking a bite out of your own cheek.
2. Visiting a restorative dentist
After a root canal, you need to schedule an appointment with a restorative dentist ASAP. We will place a temporary filling over the endodontically treated tooth, but it will not last long. This is a temporary filling so it might feel a little foreign in your mouth compared to your other teeth, that is normal. Pay attention to what you eat while you still have the temporary filling, it is not meant for long term use.
A restorative dentist will determine if a permanent filling or a crown is the best way to restore the exterior of your tooth. This permanent exterior restoration is essential to getting your tooth back to it’s natural, healthy state.
3. Enjoying ice cream
Now that you’ve gone through endodontic treatment and your tooth is fully restored, it’s time to enjoy a toothache-free life.
Your tooth is healthy, now it’s time to practice keeping it healthy. Good dental hygiene is the best way to avoid tooth decay and gingivitis.
