Post-op instructions – After a root canal treatment
Root canal is a dental procedure which helps in removing the entire internal parts, mainly pulp chamber of the tooth. It also involves the filling of the prepared empty cavity with a suitable bio-compatible material. This procedure is done and advised only when the tooth can not compensate restoring material in a small cavity on the surface. The procedure involves the removal of the nervous elements of the tooth which have been infected or decayed already due to microbial action or any physical pressures.
Root canal therapy often takes two or more appointments to complete. A temporary filling or crown is placed by your dentist to protect the tooth between appointments.
After each appointment when anesthetic has been used, your lips, teeth and tongue may be numb for several hours. Avoid any chewing until the numbness has completely worn off. Between appointments, it’s common for a small portion of your temporary filling to wear away or break off. If the entire filling falls out, or if a temporary crown comes off, call your Houston dentist so it can be replaced.
It’s normal to experience some uneasiness for quite a few days after a root canal appointment, especially when chewing. To control discomfort, take pain medication as recommended by your dentist. If antibiotics are prescribed, continue to take them for the indicated length of time, even if all symptoms and signs of infection are gone.
To further reduce pain and swelling, rinse three times a day with warm salt water; dissolve a teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water, then rinse, swish, and spit. It’s important to continue to brush and floss normally. Usually, the last step after root canal treatment is the placement of a crown on the tooth. A crown covers and protects the tooth from breaking in the future.
There are a couple of ways that a dentist can minimize this post-operative pain. One way is to reduce the tooth being treated so that, after the appointment, you won’t be able to touch the tooth when you clench together. This is a very effective technique. A second way to address it to take an anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprofen, usually at the beginning of the appointment. The body’s inflammatory reaction tends to cause the tooth to swell up a little; making you hit this tooth harder than any other tooth. This can lead into a vicious cycle of pain, more swelling, and more pain. Either of these techniques intercepts that cycle and provides relief.
If you do experience pain after root canal treatment and you are unable to clench your teeth together because it hurts too much, visit your dentist as soon as possible. Simply reducing the tooth so that you don’t hit it breaks this pain/inflammation cycle and can produce immediate, seemingly miraculous results.
Most of the time, a root canal is a relatively simple procedure with little or no discomfort involving one to three visits. Best of all, it can save your tooth and your smile! Visit dentist in tustin / tustin dentist for Dental issues.
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