Now that your endodontic procedure has been completed please follow these recommendations to best ensure your comfort as well as to provide the most appropriate follow up care for the involved tooth.
- Your root canal procedure has been performed under local anesthesia. This means that you may continue to feel numb on the affected side of the mouth for a couple of hours following your appointment. Please take care to avoid eating or drinking anything hot as you may not feel the heat and unintentionally burn your lips or the inside of your mouth.
- Your general dentist will receive a complete post-operative report indicating what type of procedure has been performed and that it has been completed. We will typically place a filling to seal the opening to your tooth once your root canal procedure is finished. If you don't have a crown it is very important to contact your regular dentist in the weeks subsequent to the completion of your root canal and set up an appointment for the fabrication and placement of a permanent restoration. Your dentist will recommend the best way to restore optimal strength, form and function to your tooth. Often a full coverage crown is the best way to guard against a fracture or reinfection that could once again compromise the tooth. We recommend that you set up an appointment with your general dentist within the next 2-4 weeks to begin the restorative process. Waiting too long, or an extensive delay in obtaining a final restoration for your tooth may result in a fracture, failure of the root canal, or even the loss of the tooth.