After your Root Canal Treatment is Complete

Within three days of your root canal, you may experience tenderness or discomfort in your tooth and gums. We recommend that you take 600 mg of ibuprofen (such as Advil or Motrin) as soon as possible after your initial treatment to alleviate any discomfort. Then, for the next 24 hours, take it every 6-8 hours as needed. Furthermore, we recommend that you refrain from chewing on the affected side of your mouth for a few days.

If your discomfort continues for more than 24 hours, or if the 600 mg dose of Ibuprofen doesn’t bring you relief, we recommend you take 650 mg of Tylenol together with 600 mg of Ibuprofen every 4-6 hours as needed.

If the combination of 600 mg of Advil and 650 mg of Tylenol does not relieve your discomfort, you may contact Dr. Reid directly at (860) 655-9195 if swelling develops outside of our business hours. When calling, please be ready to list any medication you have been taking, any allergies you have to specific medications, and the phone number of your pharmacy.

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Within a Week of your Root Canal

During your root canal treatment, we placed a temporary seal on the outer surface of your tooth. However, to protect your tooth from fracture and decay in the future, it will need to be fitted with a permanent restoration. To do this, you will need to set up an appointment with your dentist. We will send them a complete report of your root canal treatment.

If your tooth is not properly restored in a timely manner following your root canal, it may develop cracks and need to be permanently removed.

After your dentist has properly restored your tooth, you may need to attend follow-up examinations with us so we can check in on your healing progress. These follow-ups will take only a few minutes and will come at no extra cost to you.

Preventing Potential issues after Your Root Canal

Fractures

Immediately after your Root Canal Treatment, your tooth may be more likely to develop a fracture. To avoid this, chew on the other side of your mouth until your dentist can properly protect your tooth. Your dentist and endodontist will determine a plan to best protect your tooth.

Upper Teeth & Sinus Communication

Your upper teeth are situated near your sinuses, and root canal treatment can sometimes result in a “communication” between your mouth and the nearby sinus. We will give you special instructions at the time of your surgery if we think you are at risk for this. If communication does occur, it will usually heal on its own.

We ask that you avoid blowing your nose for two to three days after your surgery. If you need to sneeze, you should sneeze with an open mouth into a tissue. Do not put any pressure on the sinus area.

If you think you may be experiencing complications after surgery, please contact us at (860) 233-7777.

Post-Operative Infections

Sometimes, patients may develop an infection after their treatment that requires an office visit and examination. Usually, we can take care of these infections by placing you on an antibiotic for one week. However, in some cases, other follow-up procedures may be needed.