Root Canal Treatment

The root canal system inside your tooth has been cleaned and the causative bacteria and irritants that have caused you symptoms have been removed and will be replaced with a root canal filling.

Teeth that have had root canal treatment have lost their vitality, become very brittle and without a crown to strengthen them, are at a high risk to fracture and break. Often this can lead to the tooth needing to be extracted.

For back teeth, is vital to their success to have a crown done as soon as possible as current research has shown that even newly filled root canals will be totally contaminated with bacteria in less than one month if a final restoration is not placed.

What to Expect After your Treatment

■ Sometimes root canal treatments are done in one appointment, other times they are done over two to three visits. Your clinician will let you know if your root canal was completed today, or if a return visit is necessary to complete the treatment for your tooth.

■ The tooth may be tender to biting pressure and may even appear to feel loose. This is the result of the sensitivity of nerve-endings in the tissue outside the end of the root. This inflammation would usually peak 24 hours after treatment and subside within one week.

■ The treated tooth will not have hot or cold sensation after treatment so any persistent sensitivity would likely be originating from an adjacent tooth.

■ Occasionally, a small “bubble” may appear on the gum within a few days of treatment. This represents the release of pressure, irritants, and bacteria that can no longer be sustained around the tooth. The bump should disappear within a few days. If pain or swelling persist for more than a month, additional treatment and cost will be required.

Numbness

■ If your tooth was numbed, please be careful not to eat or chew anything until that numbness wears away, but once the numbness wears off, you can eat straightaway. You may like to start with soft foods.

■ It is a strange sensation when the numbness is wearing off, but please do be aware that excessive biting and chewing of the lips and tongue can cause ulcerations or other damage to your teeth, lips, tongue, or gums while they are numb. Please watch children very closely.

Sensitivity and Tenderness

■ It is somewhat normal to feel some discomfort and tenderness in the treated area over the next few days. You may also feel some tenderness in your jaw from keeping it open for an extended period of time.

Eating

■ If your tooth is mid-treatment, whenever possible, try to chew on the opposite side from the tooth that has been treated until you have a final filling placed. Until that time, your tooth is still weakened and could fracture.

■ Please avoid chewing any sticky or hard foods around the treated tooth to avoid dislodging the temporary material or fracturing the tooth.

Temporary Filling

■ If your treatment will be carried out over another visit, there may be some medication inside the canals, and there will be a temporary material used to seal the access point. This may wear away to some degree before your next visit.

■ Your temporary filling may initially feel “high” or “tall” but this usually feels better in a day or two. If the tooth hurts then please contact the team.

■ Please take care of your temporary crown/filling; do not chew anything sticky or overly crunchy with them.

■ When flossing the tooth with the temporary crown, floss down the tooth as normal, but instead of pulling your floss up, pull your floss out to the side of the tooth to avoid dislodging the crown.

■ If your temporary crown cracks or comes loose please contact the practice. It is important to keep the temporary on your tooth to hold the teeth in place.

Fine-tuning the Bite

■ We check the bite, how your teeth come together, very closely while you are at the practice.

■ Once in use and during the settling in phase, the bite may occasionally in some people, feel high and that the filled tooth is hitting before the other teeth. This may also cause a tooth to be rather temperature-sensitive and sore.

■ We will be happy to see you again in a few days for further fine-tuning to make your bite more comfortable and harmonious.

Antibiotics

■ If we have given you a prescription for some antibiotics, please complete the course of antibiotics per the directions.

■ Antibiotics have to be in your system for a specified amount of time to be successful. If you stop taking them before the prescription states, your tooth may become infected.

■ Please be aware that antibiotics may interfere with the effectiveness of oral contraceptives (birth control pills).

Pain relief

■ If necessary, we recommend you take something for pain relief within one hour of leaving Artiste Studios, before the anaesthesia subsides. Ibuprofen 400mg is recommended, unless you have a medical condition that precludes Ibuprofen.

■ Paracetamol 1000mg is an alternative pain reliever, though it does not contain anti-inflammatory properties.

■ For more severe discomfort the above medications can be alternated every 2-3 hours (400mg Ibuprofen, wait 2-3 hours, then 1000mg Paracetamol. Wait 2-3 hrs, 400mg Ibuprofen, and so on)

■ Do not exceed the recommended dosages, and do not take any of the medications on an empty stomach.

Please call Artiste Studios if

■ You are experiencing symptoms more intense or of longer duration than those described above.

Taking Care of Your Teeth

All dental treatment will need to be replaced, and as a guide teeth with fillings and dentures will usually eventually need to be replaced in 2-5 years; veneers, crowns, and bridges 5-10 years. They can last a long time with proper care; practise good oral hygiene, including brushing, flossing, regular checkups and cleanings.

We recommend you come in for follow-ups during annual examinations that may include taking x-rays of the teeth.