With White Oaks Dental Centre, a root canal therapy may take one or two appointments to complete. A temporary filling may be placed to protect the tooth between appointments. If a temporary filling has been placed 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, don’t hesitate to call us.

What to expect after a root canal

It is not uncommon to experience a dull ache or discomfort in the tooth after receiving root canal therapy. This should subside within a few days, but may take as long as several weeks. The gums may be sore and the tooth may be tender when biting or chewing. These conditions exist because the nerves around the tooth have become inflamed. The soreness and tenderness are due to your condition before the treatment and the manipulation of the tooth during the treatment.

Try to avoid chewing on the side of the mouth that received treatment until the pain subsides. We recommend taking something for pain relief within an hour of leaving our office to get the medication into your blood stream. This should help when the anesthesia begins to wear off. We recommend three tablets of 600-milligram ibuprofen, such as Advil®. Two to three tablets may be taken four times a day for the next three to four days to help control the sensitivity in this area.

Please take all prescribed medications, such as antibiotics and/or pain medication, as directed. Please take the full course of antibiotic medication.

A Note on Final Restorations

If you delay obtaining a final restoration crown, you may fracture or lose the tooth.