SPECIALIST MEMBER
Contact Us
We monitor our appointment requests several times a day and will usually reply within one business day during open hours.
HOME CARE INSTRUCTIONS
State-of-the-
Art Technology
General Instructions:
Following root canal treatment, there may be some soreness in the area of the treated tooth for a few days. This is due to the manipulation of the tooth, a healing response at the root ends and injection sites, and is normal. Immediately after the procedure, Dr. Gjertsen recommends you take 600-800 mg of ibuprofen (3-4 Advil or Motrin tablets) every 6 hours for 48 hours, and thereafter as needed for pain. If you are unable to take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAID’s) due to an allergy, stomach ulcer, or as per your physician’s advice, you may take 1000 mg acetaminophen (2 Extra Strength Tylenol) every 4 hours. You may also take both Motrin and Tylenol concurrently for added analgesia. The amount of discomfort following the root canal treatment is dependant on the type of inflammation/infection you had before treatment. In general, teeth that are severely inflamed/infected or present with a swelling, have more discomfort after the treatment. If swelling results after the root canal treatment, antibiotics may be indicated. Please contact our office if you notice swelling in the area or if you have pain which is not controlled by the above mentioned medication. An operator is available 24 hours a day to take your call.
Depending on the condition of the tooth prior to the root canal, the healing phase may be swift or protracted. Please be patient with this process as it can take several days up to a few weeks for proper resolution of symptoms. Most often, any remaining symptoms from the tooth will resolve in time. Generally, the tooth should be back to normal within a month after completion of the treatment.
A temporary filling is usually placed in the tooth following root canal treatment. A permanent restoration or crown must be placed on the treated tooth by your referring dentist. Failure to do so in a timely manner may result in failure of the root canal treatment or fracture of the tooth, resulting in loss of the tooth.
We recommend you continue good oral hygiene in the area with tooth brushing and flossing. However, if a large temporary was place in the treated tooth, Dr. Gjertsen may recommend you avoid flossing around the treated tooth to prevent dislodging the filling.