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Root Canals

Root canal therapy often takes one or more appointments to complete. After each appointment when anesthetic has been used, your lips, teeth and tongue may be numb for several hours after the appointment. Avoid any chewing until the numbness has completely worn off.

A temporary filling or crown is placed to protect the tooth between appointments. If the filling falls out or if a temporary crown comes off, please call us so that it can be replaced.

It’s normal to experience some discomfort for several days after a root canal appointment, especially when chewing. To control discomfort, take pain medication as recommended. To further reduce pain and swelling, rinse three times a day with warm salt water (a tsp. of salt in a cup of warm water, rinse-swish-spit).

If antibiotics are prescribed, continue to take them as prescribe, even if all symptoms and signs of infection are gone. To protect the tooth and help keep your temporary in place, avoid eating sticky foods (especially gum), hard foods, and if possible, chew only on the opposite side of your mouth. It’s important to continue to brush and floss normally.

After the roots are filled, a filling or build-up is placed to restore the coronal portion of the tooth. 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 and is critical in insuring the longevity of the treated tooth.

If your bite feels uneven, if you have persistent swelling or pain, or you have any other questions or concerns, please call our office at 860-232-4511, after working hours at 860-490-7661.