Patient Care

What To Do

If anaesthetic has been used, your lips, tongue and the roof of your mouth may be numb for several hours after your appointment. To prevent injury, avoid chewing and hot beverages until the numbness has worn off.

To control discomfort, regular doses of ibuprofen and/or paracetamol are usually all that is required. If antibiotics are prescribed, continue to take them as directed, even if all signs and symptoms of infection are gone.

To protect the tooth and keep the temporary in place, avoid eating hard and sticky foods (gum) and, if possible, chew on the opposite side of your mouth. Continue to brush and floss normally.

Usually, the last step in root canal treatment is the placement of a crown on the tooth. A crown will protect the tooth from breaking in the future. Your general dental practitioner will advise on and provide the definitive restoration. If your bite feels uneven, if you have any signs of swelling or increasing pain, or if you have any other questions or concerns, please call our office.

What To Expect

Between appointments, until the tooth is fully restored, it is common (and not a problem) 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 our office to arrange a time so it can be replaced. It is normal to experience some discomfort for several days after a root canal appointment. This is most often due to an irritation of the very pressure-sensitive periodontal ligament attaching the root to the gum and bone. If experienced, this discomfort will normally start to resolve after 48 hours.

Remember your tooth is not ‘dead’. Like every other tooth in your mouth, it has a vital layer (cementum) on the root surface and is very sensitively attached to your gum and bone. Dead body parts fall off!

Please return for a review appointment, normally six months after the completion of treatment, so the treatment outcome can be assessed.