Before Endodontic Treatment:
After Endodontic Treatment:
Contact us right away if you develop any of the following:
Are There any Potential Problems After Treatment?
If you have any questions, please call our office at 310-278-5403.
- This procedure will be performed using local anesthesia. There are usually no restrictions after the procedure concerning driving or returning to work. A doctor is available for consultation at all times should a problem arise after your treatment.
- Continue all medications for blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid problems and any other conditions as recommended by your physician. If there is a question, please call our office prior to your appointment.
- Please eat a full breakfast or lunch as applicable.
- If you have been advised by your physician or dentist to use antibiotic premedication because of mitral valve prolapse (MVP), heart murmur, hip, knee, cardiac or other prosthesis, or if you have rheumatic heart disease, please make sure you are on the appropriate antibiotic on the day of your appointment. If there is a question, please call our office prior to your appointment.
- If you are coming in for consultation, we prefer that you not take pain medication so that we may diagnose your tooth properly.
- If you have already been diagnosed for treatment at our office, we recommend taking ibuprofen (Advil), acetaminophen (Tylenol), or naproxen sodium (Aleve), as directed, one hour prior to your appointment.
After Endodontic Treatment:
- The following are important notes for dental patients who have had any work done on their teeth.
- Do not eat anything, and do not drink anything hot, until numbness wears off. This will prevent you from biting your cheek or tongue or burning your mouth.
- Avoid chewing on the tooth until it is completely restored by your dentist.
- Be sure to floss and brush normally.
- If the opening in your tooth was restored with a temporary filling material, it is not unusual for a thin layer to wear off in-between appointments. However, if you think the entire filling has come out, contact us.
Contact us right away if you develop any of the following:
- A visible swelling inside or outside of your mouth
- An allergic reaction to medication, including rash, hives or itching (nausea is not an allergic reaction)
- A return of original symptoms
- Your bite feels uneven.
Are There any Potential Problems After Treatment?
- Lower Teeth and Nerve Injury: There is a slight possibility that nerve injury can occur during root canal treatment or surgery to the lower posterior teeth. Your endodontist is trained to assess this possibility prior to treatment and will advise you accordingly. For lower posterior teeth, the root tips may be near a nerve that supplies feeling to the lip, chin and gums. Your endodontist is trained to design your treatment to minimize the chances of damaging this nerve. Rarely, this nerve can become irritated during the process. In these cases, when the local anesthesia wears off, you may experience tingling, altered sensation or, in rare cases a complete lack of feeling in the affected tissues. Should this occur, it is usually temporary and will resolve over a period of days, weeks or months, however it is important to let us know immediately so we can determine if any additional procedures or medications can help resolve your symptoms. In rare cases, these changes can be permanent and/or painful.
- Upper Teeth and Sinus Communication: The upper teeth are situated near your sinuses, and root canal treatment or surgery can result in a communication between your mouth and the adjacent sinus. Should this complication occur, it will usually heal spontaneously. We will give you special instructions if this is apparent at the time of treatment. We prefer that you don’t blow your nose for two to three days after surgery. If you have to sneeze, you should sneeze with an open mouth into a tissue. You should not create any pressure in the sinus area. If you sense a complication after surgery, please contact us.
- Post-Operative Infections: Post-operative infections occasionally occur. This usually requires just an office visit and examination. Many times placing you on an antibiotic for one week will take care of the infection Occasionally, other follow-up procedures will be needed.
If you have any questions, please call our office at 310-278-5403.
